Nokia Oyj and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB have been ranked again as the top two greenest major electronics producers by Greenpeace International.
Finnish company Nokia, which remains the number one mobile phone maker in the world, was at the top of Greenpeace International’s quarterly list after reposting that their 2010 mobile phones would be PVC plastic and brominated flame retardant (BFR) free. The companies on Greenpeace’s list are ranked based on use of toxic chemicals, recycled materials and used products, as well as environmental protection.
While the criteria are eco-friendly, some companies can benefit from them far more easily than others. Companies like Nokia and Motorola Inc., which have only a single product line, have a much easier time removing toxic chemicals from their products, while manufacturers of products such as refrigerator and home appliances find it easier to use recycled plastics.
Major companies are taking these factors seriously and improving their performance to be more sustainable and eco-friendly. Two Japanese based companies, Panasonic Corp. and Sharp Corp. were bumped up four spots in Greenpeace’s rankings – jumping to sixth and ninth place. Sharp was applauded for its television energy efficiency and Panasonic got a nod for efficiency and pressuring demands on suppliers to cease using toxic chemicals.
PVC plastic and BFRs are toxic, hard to decompose, and stay in the human body, which is why Greenpeace focuses on eliminating them from the production of electronics.
Not all companies rose to the occasion like Panasonic and Sharp, as Tokyo-based Toshiba Corp. dropped from third to fourteenth place after failing to achieve their personal goal of eliminating PVC and BFRs in production. South Korea’s largest industrial group, Samsung Group, suffered a four place drop to thirteen.
Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and Apple Inc. (placed fifth) are the first to create lines of electronics free of PVC and BFRs.
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