In semiconductor and crystalline silicon solar cell fabrication, volatile organic compound (VOC) abatement is state of the art and obligatory in many countries. Thermal or catalytic oxidation is used as the preferred reduction technique in this field. Because of low concentrated exhaust gas, oxidation needs additional energy which is not to be ignored. Against the background of resource depletion, the question arises whether, from an environmental point of view, treatment is more beneficial than the direct release of emissions. The overall potential environmental impact of several scenarios has been investigated using a method based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The results show that below an exhaust concentration of 600 mg/m(3) for semiconductor fabrication and below 1500 mg/m(3) of nontoxic solvents for solar cell fabrication, exhaust conditioning causes a greater potential environmental impact than the direct release without any treatment.