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Dell and Nokia Top Greenpeace Ranking, Apple Scores Low

Greenpeace has launched a guide to green electronics naming electronic companies that are not eco-friendly. Company's where ranked on their use of toxic chemicals and electronic waste policies listed on information publicly available on their global web sites.

According to the organisation, only Dell and Nokia bagged respectable scores while Apple, Motorola and laptop maker Lenovo finished at the bottom of the class.

"The scorecard will provide a dynamic tool to green the electronics sector by setting off a race to the top. By taking back their discarded products, companies will have incentives to eliminate harmful substances used in their products, since this is the only way they can ensure safe reuse and recycling of electronic waste," said Iza Kruszewska, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner.

Apple, a company who dominates the customer service surveys and design award competitions scored a meager 2.7 on Greenpeace’s ranking (on a scale of 0-10) of electronic companies, with only Acer, Motorola, and Lenovo finishing lower.

For a company that claims to lead on production design, Apple scores badly on almost all criteria. The company fails to follow the precautionary principle, withholds its full list of regulated substances and provide no timelines for eliminating toxics Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and no commitment to phasing out all uses of Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs). Apple performs poorly on product take back and recycling, with the exception of reporting on the amounts of its electronic waste recycled.

"It is disappointing to see Apple ranking so low in the overall guide. They are meant to be world leaders in design and marketing, they should also be world leaders in environmental innovation." said Kruszewska.


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