Screen break: an electronics recycling centre in Switzerland.
Photographer: Walter Bieri, AP/Keystone.
Electronics manufacturers are going greener every year - but some still lag far behind. And the worst of all. The iconic Apple. It came last in a new survey published by Greenpeace for its policies on recycling and the use of toxic chemicals.
Tens of millions of tons of electrical and electronic goods are thrown away every year. They are an environmental and health hazard because of the toxic chemicals they contain. A lot of this toxic waste is shipped to China and India where the electronic goods are broken up, often by children, to recover the scrap. The only solution is for manufacturers to remove the toxic chemicals and accept responsibility for taking back their products at the end of their life. The EU is beginning to deal with this problem, but globally there are no regulations.
The processes used to manufacture and dispose of everyday technologies, such as PCs and mobile phones, are traditionally notorious for being wasteful and damaging. But there are signs that some electronic goods are on their way to becoming "greener".
The latest Greenpeace guide to greener electronics, which ranks 14 top manufacturers of PCs and mobile phones in order of their impact on the environment, shows that most companies have committed to greener processes, with many following those commitments up with action. Developments involve eliminating the use of the most hazardous chemicals, developing recycling policies and financing take-back, reuse or recycling of end-of-life products. There are real signs that such commitments are becoming increasingly common across the industry.
Most companies now score above average points on the ranking guide, with only five companies failing to meet the average of five points. The top-ranked brands have adopted a precautionary chemical policy by committing to eliminate the use of the most hazardous chemicals in their products. They have acknowledged that, as producers, they bear individual responsibility for financing the take-back and responsible reuse or recycling of their own-brand discarded products.
Lenovo, Nokia and Sony Ericsson have the top three spots with progressive approaches to their use of chemicals as well as the disposal of their electronic waste. Dell comes in fourth. In sharp contrast, Apple is awarded the last place, because the company has made absolutely no improvements to its policies or practices since the ranking was first released last year, in stark contrast to most of its major competitors. Lenovo, the Chinese PC manufacturer, has jumped from the bottom spot up to its current first place having made strong policy commitments. The company also offers take back and recycling in all the countries where its products are sold.
It seems companies are more likely to respond to competition than pleas of conscience. By turning the spotlight onto top electronics companies, challenging them to outrank their competition, the Greenpeace guide to greener electronics succeeds in motivating companies to improve their chemicals and waste policies.
At the beginning of this year, Michael Dell of Dell Computers led the way at the Consumer Electronics Fair in Las Vegas when he proclaimed: "I challenge every PC maker to join us in providing free recycling for every customer in every country ... all the time - no exceptions." Apple users, meanwhile, were disappointed at their annual MacWorld show in San Francisco. CEO Steve Jobs announced the new iPhone with a great publicity flourish, but ignored pleas to make Apple more eco-friendly.
Apple users or potential buyers can check out the Greenpeace campaign here.
The Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics is available at www.greenpeace.org.uk.
