IBM has a long history of continually taking proactive steps to evaluate the chemicals used in its processes and products; identifying potential substitutes that may have less impact on the environment, health and safety; and eliminating, restricting and/or prohibiting the use of substances for which a more preferable alternative is available that is capable of meeting quality and safety requirements of its processes and products. The table below provides a summary of IBM's record over more than three decades.
| Substance | Year | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) | 1978 | Prohibited from use in products (Initiated phased approach for elimination in 1974. Achieved by year-end 1978.) |
| Trichloroethylene | Late 1980s | Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes |
| Ozone depleting chemicals | 1990 | Prohibited as expansion agents used in packaging |
| Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) | 1990 | Prohibited from use in packaging |
| Heavy metals, including lead (Pb), hexavalent chromium and mercury | 1990 | Prohibited from use in packaging |
| Class I ozone depleting chemicals | 1993 | Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes, and prohibited from use in products |
| Asbestos | 1993 | Prohibited from use in products |
| Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) | 1993 | Prohibited from use in products |
| Lead (Pb) | 1993 | Prohibited from use in plastic housings and paints |
| Hexavalent chromium | 1993 | Prohibited in inks, dyes, pigments and paints used for IBM products |
| Mercury | 1993 | Prohibited from use in IBM parts or assemblies. Specific exemptions (e.g., lamps) were added in 1999. |
| Cadmium | 1993 | Prohibited from use in inks, dyes, pigments and paints |
| Cadmium | 1994 | Prohibited from use in plastics and plating |
| Class II ozone depleting chemicals | 1995 | Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes, and prohibited from use in products |
| Ethylene-based glycol ethers | Mid-1990s | Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes |
| Polyvinyl chloride | Mid-1990s | Prohibited from use in packaging |
| Cadmium | Mid-1990s | Prohibited from use:
|
| Lead (Pb) | 1999 | Prohibited from use in plastic resins |
| Tetrachloroethene | 2002 | Eliminated 99.5% of the use in development and manufacturing processes. Prohibited from new applications. |
| Hexavalent chromium | 2002 | Prohibited from plastic resins |
| Dichloromethane | 2003 | Eliminated from use in development and manufacturing processes |
| Specific perfluorinated compounds (PFOS and PFOA) | 2005 | Prohibited the development of new materials with these compounds |
| Polyvinyl chloride | 2007 | Prohibited from system enclosure parts in new products after 2007 |
| Tetrabromobisphenol A | 2007 | Prohibited as an additive flame retardant in system enclosure parts for new products after 2007 |
| Specific perfluorinated compounds (PFOS and PFOA) | 2007 | Prohibited from new IBM manufacturing, development and research processes |
| Specific perfluorinated compounds (PFOS and PFOA) | 2010 | Eliminated from use in manufacturing, development and research processes as of January 31, 2010 |