27 June 2007 - The fourth
edition of the Greenpeace Guide to Greener
Electronics is out now. Apple moves up as
a result of Steve Job's "Greener Apple"
pledge to phase out PVC and other chemicals
from their product line. But Nokia is on
top because they've already phased out PVC,
and met or exceeded a wide set of benchmarks
we've laid down to reduce the amount and
toxicity of electronic waste piling up in
Asia and Africa.
The electronics ranking guide has been
our answer to getting the electronics industry
to face up to the problem of e-waste. We
want manufacturers to take responsibility
for the unprotected child labourers who
scavenge the mountains of cast-off gadgets
created by our gizmo-loving ways.
We've been happily surprised at how quickly
many corporations have risen to the competitive
challenge. It's especially rewarding to
see more than a few CEOs openly vying for
the top green spot, and challenging their
competitors to adopt industry-wide policies
to reduce the problem of e-waste.
In the current ranking, Dell and Chinese
manufacturer Lenovo are tied for second
place.
Dell scores top marks for reporting its
current recycling rate based on sales 7
years ago, and for a strong global take-back
policy for outdated gear.
Lenovo's support for precautionary policies
and legislation making producers responsible
for their products at the end of their lifetime
mean high marks for them. In the April version
of the ranking Lenovo scored higher points
for a global takeback policy. However our
investigation of the implementation of this
policy in practice reveals incomplete implementation.
Both Dell and Lenovo's programmes are not
available outside countries where they sell
direct, and both do not provide information
on their takeback policies everywhere that
they should.
Sony-Ericsson and Samsung pull up third
and fourth with limited recycling programmes
in a few countries and good, but uneven,
performance on other criteria for removing
toxic chemicals.
This quarter's ranking shows that 12 of
the 14 companies assessed have now scored
5 or more out of ten: an industry-wide improvement
in harmful chemicals and waste policies.
Which company will be the first to get top
marks in the guide? You can challenge the
top computer makers to produce a greener
computer right now.
Apple rises, Sony falls
Sony is the biggest loser in the race this
edition, languishing at the bottom along
with LGE, penalised for double standards
on their waste policies.
Apple was the lowest-ranked electronics
manufacturer in the last Greenpeace Guide
to Greener Electronics, but makes the biggest
jump this time, into 10th place, thanks
to pressure from Apple fans around the world
through the Green my Apple campaign.
Apple may start to rival other, greener
companies if their much-awaited iPhone becomes
the company's first truly greener product.
There's no reason it can't. Apple uses at
least one of the same suppliers that currently
provide Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, and other
phone manufacturers with components free
of PVC and brominated flame retardants.
"Clearly, companies are racing to
produce greener products" says Iza
Kruszewska, our Toxics Campaigner. “Steve
Job's latest commitment to eliminate toxics
materials, moved Apple up the chart and
they now face a challenge, with the iPhone,
to meet customer expectations to be the
environmental leader Apple-lovers want.”
More and more companies are providing information
on products that are free from the worst
chemicals. For example, as of March 2007,
Panasonic has many examples of 100 percent
PVC-free products on the market, including
DVD players and recorders, home cinemas,
video players, and now provides a list of
products that are PVC-free. Meanwhile, Nokia,
Sony Ericsson and Motorola are introducing
increasing numbers of models that are also
free from PVC and brominated flame retardants.
The Greenpeace Guide clearly demonstrates
that companies are starting to act on their
responsibility for taking back and recycling
their own-branded waste, more and more extended
voluntary programmes and providing information
to customers on what to do with discarded
electronics.
