Week 4: News Story # 1

Apple at the bottom of ‘green’ product list: Greenpeace

By Erwin Oliva

In the PC industry, Apple computers represent style and innovation.

But among environmentalists, the computer company occupies the bottom of a list of manufacturers racing to make their products “greener.”

Environmental group Greenpeace’s second edition “Guide to Greener Electronics” showed Apple Computer at the bottom of the list of top 14 manufacturers, while Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia remained on top.

Greenpeace ranks these manufacturers of PCs and mobile phones in the guide. Companies earn points if they have eliminated the use of the most hazardous chemicals, and have implemented recycling policies such as financing take-back, reuse or recycling of end-of-life products.

"Despite being the world leader in innovation and design, Apple is losing the race by failing to keep up with the other companies," Greenpeace International toxics campaigner Iza Kruszewska said in a statement.

Apple currently occupies the bottom position because it made “absolutely no improvements to its policies or practices since the ranking was first released three months ago, although most of its competitors have improved environmental policies," Kruszewska added.

In the Greenpeace guide’s first edition, Apple was third from the bottom of the list.

Meanwhile, new policies on use of chemicals and the proper disposal of electronic waste kept Nokia at the top. The Finnish company, however, has yet to state clear timelines for phasing out polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in all its products. PVC is a plastic material that is deemed harmful to the environment.

Kruszewska said top-ranked brands are taking precautionary chemical policies. They have committed to eliminate the use of the most hazardous chemicals in their products, while acknowledging individual responsibility for financing the take-back and reuse or recycling of their own-brand discarded products.

Greenpeace said PC makers Acer and Lenovo have indicated plans to eliminate the use of the most hazardous chemicals from products. Lenovo's strong policy commitments elevated the company's ranking from the bottom spot to 8th place. Acer also made progress, as it moved to seventh from 12th position.

Motorola has also made improvements, moving up to the fourth position, next to Fujitsu-Siemens. It was ranked second worst in the first version of the guide, according to the Greenpeace guide.

Korean manufacturers LGE and Samsung and Japanese firm Sony's rankings have gone down because they support regulation in the US that places the responsibility for product recycling on consumers instead of the producers.