Just the latest high-tech company to pledge to clean up its act,
Dell has joined the ranks of HP, LGE, Nokia, Samsung, Sony, and
Sony Ericsson in the effort to get toxics out of technology. Dell's
decision falls close on the heels of Hewlett
Packard's pledge, which the company made following a two-year
Greenpeace campaign.
Technology is about cutting edge innovation, and the companies
who sell it should be the leaders in the field. But for all of
their innovative products and advertising, some companies are proud
to stand among the dinosaurs, and refuse to evolve. Among them are
some surprising hold-outs, including Apple, Fujitsu-Siemens, IBM,
Lenovo, Panasonic, Siemens and Toshiba. Motorola stands out as
taking, and then breaking, their pledge to clean up toxic
technology.
Technology's Dirty Little Secret
Every year, hundreds of thousands of old computers and mobile
phones are dumped in landfills or burned in smelters. Thousands
more are exported, often illegally, from Europe, the US, Japan and
other industrialised countries, to Asia. There, workers at scrap
yards, including children, are exposed to a toxic cocktail of
chemicals and poisons. This is the dark side of cheaper, more
disposable electronics.
By removing the toxic chemicals, companies make it cleaner and
easier to recycle their products. Companies that take
responsibility for the whole lifecycle of their products from
cradle to grave ensure that their products last longer and cause
less pollution.
Our vision for the industry is one that produces cleaner,
longer lasting, more sustainable products that don't contribute to
the growing tide of toxic, short lived products currently being
dumped in Asia.
Electronics is a fast moving industry that can respond quickly
to users' wishes and new trends. But this year's hottest gadget
shouldn't end up as next year's e-waste, being taken apart by a
child in China or India. Some companies are making positive moves
and our recent survey shows that users want a cleaner industry and
are willing to pay extra for it.
The Wave of the Future
A survey conducted for us by Ipsos-MORI, reveals that most
people across nine countries say they would pay extra for a more
environmentally friendly computer and that companies should be held
responsible for dealing with their hazardous waste from PCs.
The nine country survey, carried out earlier this year, found
that from half to three-quarters of computer users say that they
would be willing to pay extra for an environmentally friendly
computer. The amounts ranged from US$59 in Germany, US$118 in UK,
US$199 in China and a whopping US$229 in Mexico.
The consumer demand is there, the only question remaining is
which companies will supply it?