Apple got low marks for eco - favorable policies from Greenpeace in a survey of electronics company by the environmental grouping . The Cupertino , Calif.-based electronic computer maker rank fourthly from the bottom in Greenpeace ’s survey , finishing ahead of only Acer , Motorola , and Lenovo .
“ For a company that claim to run on product intent , Apple scores bad on almost all touchstone , ” Greenpeace say in itsGreen Electronics Guide . The report , published every three months , scores company on their use of goods and services of hazardous chemicals , recycling , and take - back insurance . It expend information published by the companies .
Apple does n’t print a leaning of mold meat it use in its products , Greenpeace said . The environmental group also faulted Apple for not releasing timelines for eliminate polyvinyl chlorides ( PVCs ) and brominated flame retardants ( BFRs ) , and only selling a few peripheral item innocent of PVCs .
While Apple has take - back programs in position in some nation , it reports the weight of recycled product and not the percentage of gross revenue , Greenpeace said . Apple received one overconfident mark , for not export e - barren , an issue for developing countries that may mishandle computer hardware with toxic substances .
Apple said it dissent with Greenpeace ’s military rank and criteria . The data processor company said it has extinguish cathode ray tube varan incorporate lead-in from its product personal credit line along with Cd and hexavalent atomic number 24 in fabrication .
A small amount of mercury is used in Apple ’s savourless - panel displays , as the element is used throughout the industry for backlight lamps , the company said . Apple is wait for an alternative .
Apple defended its environmental record at this twelvemonth ’s annual shareholder coming together in April , note that a lot of the eco - well-disposed effort made by the company get overlooked because they happen behind the scenes .
Mobile phone giant star Nokia received the highest rating in Greenpeace ’s survey . It scored highly for pass its use of goods and services of PVCs , which are wide used but difficult - to - recycle charge card that cause the release of dioxin , another toxin , when manufactured . The Finnish company plan to stop using BFRs by the start of 2007 , Greenpeace enounce .
Lenovo , which took over IBM ’s PC business in May 2005 , came last on Greenpeace ’s list . The fellowship has not send to eliminating PVC or BFRs or defined a “ precautionary rule , ” a set of guidelines governing actions that could cause environmental damage , agree to Greenpeace . The vendor also has a limited take - back policy in some countries which Greenpeace called “ partially high-risk . ”
Lenovo disputed the finding , say it offers reprocess to all of its concern customers — a religious service not detailed on its Web site . Lenovo has continued IBM ’s Environmental Management System , a programme that covers manufacturing and product figure , and is mesh that system with its own , pre - existent environmental insurance policy , it say .
“ Lenovo meets or transcend applicable environmental regulations globally , and we do n’t trust Greenpeace ’s ranking accurately reflect Lenovo ’s environmental record , ” the company allege in a statement .
None of the companies mark absolutely . Even first - place Nokia , for object lesson , does n’t release material body on the number of unit it recycles , consort to Greenpeace . The vender should also more understandably define its precautional principle , the environmental chemical group said .
Other companies that scored well for their environmental insurance policy were Dell and Hewlett - Packard .
[ Philip Michaels contributed to this story . ]
