Green Computing From VIA

As part of its Green Computing Initiative, VIA Technologies, Inc. is striving for environmentally friendly computing with the use of non-hazardous materials in the production of its market leading chipsets, processors, and full range of companion chips.

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With the new challenge presented by forward thinking EU directives such as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), VIA implemented internal regulations which ensured the smooth transition for the development of these alternative RoHS compliant products. For easy identification, VIA has placed the ROHS COMPLIANT logo you can see at the top of this page in the same place on all of the appropriate product pages. In addition to this success VIA received the prestigious Certificate of Green Partner from the Sony Corporation in recognition for successfully establishing an environmental management system that meets the stringent requirements of the Sony Green Partner Program.

The move toward lead-free manufacturing for VIA started in 2001 with the introduction of the Enhanced Ball Grid Array (EBGA) package for power efficient VIA processors, and the Heat Sink Ball Grid Array (HSBGA) package for its chipsets. VIA has been shipping lead-free VIA Eden™ ESP, C3™-M and C3™ processors together with various highly integrated chipsets, such as the VIA CLE266 and VIA CN400 digital media chipset, into markets ranging from digital entertainment centers to Mini-PCs and embedded devices since the end of 2003. VIA expects to be fully lead-free manufacturing compliant by the end of 2005.

Find out more about VIA and Green Computing in this FAQ.

VIA Lead-Free Products

In traditional manufacturing processes, lead is used in the bump that attaches the silicon core to the inside of the package and to facilitate integration onto the motherboard through tiny solder balls on the underside of the package. VIA's lead-free manufacturing technologies do not require a lead bump and the solder balls now consist of a Tin, Silver and Copper composite.

Silicon products that are available from VIA in a lead-free option include all x86 Socket 370 VIA processors, all x86 VIA processors in the EBGA package, all VIA chipsets and all VIA companion chips. These lead-free packages include the letter "G" on their top marking to signify their suitability for Green Computing systems.

All VIA processors and chipsets are available in a lead free package option and marked with a 'G' for Green Computing.

All VIA companion chipsets are available in a lead free package option and marked with a 'G' for Green Computing, including audio, networking, multimedia and optical storage chips.

VIA continues to work towards compliance across all product groups with the RoHS and WEEE European Union directives that are helping to speed up the move to environmentally friendly computing.