An updated version of the "Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics" is released today. While Lenovo leaps to the top in the Guide, Apple still rots at the bottom
The latest edition of the Greenpeace Guide, which ranks
companies on their policies regarding chemicals and waste, shows
Chinese PC maker Lenovo in the top position, displacing Nokia from
the lead it had maintained since the Guide was launched. Sony and
LG Electronics receive penalty points for operating double
standards on their e-waste takeback policies across the world,
losing their places in the top five, while Apple, having made no
progress since the launch of the Guide in August 2006, continues to
languish in last place, far behind all other major
manufacturers.
"The new rankings should act as a catalyst for electronic
manufacturers to take serious steps towards producing products that
are free of deadly chemicals and not put stress on human health or
the environment. Following Lenovo's example, the Indian electronics
industry and Government too should commit to producing clean
products", said Ramapati Kumar, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace
India.
"We have been continuously assessing the products of several
manufacturers and advocating them to shift to RoHS compliance.
Recently, we tested the laptops of HCL and found several hazardous
substances in them [2]. Although HCL has agreed to phase out
harmful chemicals from its products it is not clear by when. As the
market leader in India, we expect HCL to take the lead in shifting
to clean production and promoting products that do not cause harm
to the environment or to people, at any stage of their life cycle",
he concluded.
Lenovo, which bought IBM's consumer electronics division in
2005, scores top marks on its e-waste policies and practice; the
company offers take-back and recycling in all the countries where
its products are sold. Lenovo also reports the amount of e-waste it
recycles as a percentage of its sales. [3] However, the company has
yet to put on the market products that are free of the worst
chemicals. Other companies in the top five include Nokia (2nd),
Sony Ericsson (3rd) Dell (4th) and Samsung (5th).
Sony Ericsson has moved back up the guide (they were 5th in
December 2006) and is the first company to set a timeline of 1st
January 2008 for eliminating substances in addition to those banned
by the European RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in
electronic products) Directive, including phthalates, beryllium and
some uses of antimony compounds.[4]
Snapshot of the ranking:
RANK
MARCH 2007
DECEMBER 2006
AUGUST 2006
1
Lenovo ↑
Nokia ↔
Nokia
2
Nokia ↓
Dell ↔
Dell
3
Sony Erickson ↑
Fujitsu-Siemens ↑
HP
4
Dell ↓
Motorola ↑
Sony Ericsson
5
Samsung ↑
Sony Ericsson↓
Samsung
6
Motorola ↓
HP ↓
Sony
7
Fujitsu-Siemens ↓
Acer ↑
LGE
8
HP ↓
Lenovo ↑
Panasonic
9
Acer ↓
Sony ↓
Toshiba
10
Toshiba ↑
Panasonic ↓
Fujitsu-Siemens
11
Sony ↓
LGE ↓
Apple
12
LGE ↓
Samsung ↓
Acer
13
Panasonic ↓
Toshiba ↓
Motorola
14
Apple ↔
Apple ↓
Lenevo
For further information, contact
Ramapati Kumar, Greenpeace India Toxics Campaigner +91-98455-35414, 
Sandeep Bhattacharjee, Media Officer, Greenpeace India +91-9342501806 
Notes to Editor
1.The Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics is attached and can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/guide-to-greener-electronics
2.The analysis report of Hazardous substances in HCL computers can be read at www.greenpeace.org/india/press/reports/hcl-report
3.See http://www.pc.ibm.com/ww/lenovo/about/environment/EnvReport.html for more information
4.Beryllium is used mainly in electrical contacts. Recycling [of these materials] can produce beryllium dusts, exposure to which [even at very low levels and for short periods of time] can cause a debilitating lung disease [known as chronic beryllium disease (CBD)]
Phthalates are primarily used as plasticisers (softeners) in certain plastics, especially PVC. Some phthalates are known to be toxic to the development of the reproductive system.
5. Electronic Manufacturers’ Coalition for Responsible Recycling at: www.productstewardship.net/PDFs/libraryElectronicsARFCoalitionWhitePaper03-2005.pdf