Electronics firms praised over toxins, slammed over green energy

IT and electronics firms may have made significant strides to remove hazardous substances from their products and improve energy efficiency, according to the latest Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics report.

However, many are failing to deliver the same progress in their internal environmental programmes and product recycling schemes, it found.

The quarterly report, which gauges electronic firms against a raft of environmental criteria, again ranked Nokia as the top performer, followed by Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Samsung. Nintendo, Microsoft and Lenovo were singled out as the worst performers amongst the 18 companies assessed.

Greenpeace claimed that since the first edition of the report in August 2006 the IT and electronics industry has made significant process in addressing environmental issues, most notably in efforts to enhance product energy efficiency and remove hazardous chemicals from devices.

"We've seen a lot of commitments to remove BFRs and PVC from products and we are beginning to see those products come to market now," observed Iza Kruszewska, Toxics Campaigner at Greenpeace International. "There are a few laggards, such as Nintendo and Microsoft, but most companies now have something on the market that is PVC and BFR free."

However, the report found that while the green credentials of IT firms' products are generally improving, their efforts to cut emissions from their own operations and supply chains are falling well short of what climate scientists claim is required.

Greenpeace claimed that only three of the ranked companies - Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC), Philips and Sharp - support scientists' calls for a 30 per cent cut in carbon emissions from developed countries by 2020, while only Philips and HP have committed to make absolute emission reductions from their own operations and supply chains.

In contrast, it claims that all the other companies assessed make only " vague or essentially meaningless statements" on emission reductions or opt for conservative emission-reduction targets that fail to tally with climate science or lack deadlines.

Motorola, Microsoft, Dell, Apple, Lenovo, Samsung, Nintendo and LG Electronics are picked out for "notably lagging behind, with no plans to cut absolute emissions from their own operations".

Kruszewska said that some firms are making progress with more companies looking to procure renewable energy and seeking to cut their own emissions, but added that they were starting from a surprisingly poor position, particularly given the industry's reputation for innovation and flexibility.

"It is surprising that they have not been more vocal in calls for emission cuts when IT is one of the sectors that could stand to benefit," she said.

The report also found that while firms are making progress in extending their free recycling and take-back schemes, many were still not offering universal take-back, nor putting in place enough safeguards to ensure ewaste is not shipped to illegal scrap yards in the developing world.

"We understand that it takes a long time to put proper take-back in place as you need to find responsible recyclers, audit them and then regularly check waste is being handled properly," Kruszewska said, adding that while growing numbers of firms now offered free recycling in Europe where they are legally obliged to do so, and in the US, few firms offered a global take-back programme.