Posted on November 27, 2007, Stephany Greenpeace Says Microsoft and Nintendo Harmful to Environment
In their latest Greener Electronics Guide, Greenpeace has publicly deemed Microsoft and Nintendo irresponsible and lacking in environmental credentials in reference to electronic waste.Giving Nintendo a 0/10 rating for its policies and practices on toxic chemicals and takeback, Greenpeace has stated that
“”The Greener Electronics Guide is our way of getting the electronics industry to face up to the problem of e-waste, [and] Nintendo completely fails to show any environmental credentials and Microsoft and Philips do little better.” This is the first time that Greenpeace has included consoles and televisions in their report alongside PCs and mobile phones.
“Companies shouldn’t be under any illusions that we won’t check up on their claims of green greatness,” commented Iza Kruszewska, campaigner for Greenpeace International.
The environmental organization ranks companies on two different types of criteria:
- The clean up of their products by eliminating hazardous substances
- Takeback and recycling of their products responsibly once they become obsolete. The two issues are connected. The use of harmful chemicals in electronics prevents their safe recycling when the products are discarded.
According to Greenpeace, Nintendo has “no voluntary takeback of products, no information on banned products, no information on how the company communicates with its supply chain and no policy on use of vinyl plastics,”and that the gaming giant scored so horribly on these fronts that there is “infinite room for improvement.”
Microsoft faired better with a score of 2.7/10, due to the company’s chemical management status and the timeline they have set to phase out PVCs by the year 2011.
Want the full list to see how your electronics faired? I have posted the list for you after the break, and you can check out the full Greenpeace report by going to their website.
- 7.7 – Sony Ericsson – New leader due to improved takeback reporting, new models PVC free, but falls down on takeback practice.
- 7.7 – Samsung – Big improvements, with more products free of the worst toxic chemicals. Loses points for incomplete takeback practice.
- 7.3 – Sony – More products free of toxic PVC and improved reporting on recycling and takeback especially in the US.
- 7.3 – Dell – Unchanged since the last version, still no products on the market without the worst chemicals.
- 7.3 – Lenovo – Unchanged since the last version, still no products on the market without the worst chemicals.
- 7.0- Toshiba – Much improved on toxic chemicals but still lobbies in the US for regressive takeback policies.
- 7.0 – LGE – Unchanged since the last version, need better takeback for products other than phones.
- 7.0 – Fujitsu-Siemens – Unchanged since the last version, needs toxic elimination timelines, better takeback coverage and reporting of amounts recycled.
- 6.7 – Nokia- A steep fall! Strong on toxic chemicals but penalty point deducted for deficiencies in takeback practice in Thailand, Russia and Argentina during our testsing.
- 6.7 – HP – Finally provided timelines for eliminating worst toxic chemicals, though not for all products; needs to improve takeback coverage. More
- 6.0 – Apple – Slightly improved with new iMacs and some iPods reducing the use of toxic chemicals, takeback programme still needs more work.
- 5.7 – Acer – Unchanged since the last version, needs better takeback coverage and reporting of amounts recycled.
- 5.0 – Panasonic – Unchanged since the last version, need better takeback coverage and reporting of amounts recycled.
- 5.0 – Motorola – Big faller due to penalty point for poor takeback practice in Philippines, Thailand and India revealed by our testing. Still no timelines for eliminating the most harmful chemicals.
- 4.7 – Sharp – New to the guide – some plus points on toxic chemicals elimination but poor takeback policy and practice.
- 2.7 – Microsoft – New to the guide – long timeline for toxic chemicals elimination (2011) and poor takeback policy and practice.
- 2.0 – Philips – New to the guide – no timeline for toxic chemicals elimination and zero points on e-waste policy and practice.
- 0.0 – Nintendo – New to the guide – first global brand to score zero across all criteria