Can You Bring Normal Paper into the Cleanroom?

Yes, when it is paper designed for the cleanroom. The use of standard paper will increase the risk of particle contamination in the cleanroom. When entering a cleanroom, we undergo various decontamination procedures, including wearing facemasks, gowning, and socks, cleaning equipment, and following strict cleanroom behavior. However, it’s easy to overlook the importance of small details, such as the type of paper, bond, and notebooks we use for note-taking or printing. It’s surprising, but even the smallest cleaning tools we bring into the cleanroom can shed particles. That is why it is important to understand the specifications of the paper that you are using.

The ISO 14644-1:2015 standard includes requirements for contamination control and risk-mitigating strategies. Humans are responsible for shedding most of the particles in a cleanroom, with around 40,000 skin cells shed every minute. When stationary, we generate approximately 100,000 particles of 0.3 microns or larger from our skin, hair, clothing, and more. This number skyrockets to over 5,000,000 particles when we are moving. Albeit less severe, selecting the right cleanroom paper or cleanroom notebook can make a difference in your overall contamination control strategy.