Apple not so green when it comes to the environment, says Greenpeace

By Adam Turner
Sunday, 10 December 2006 18:22

IT Industry - Strategy

Greenpeace has taken another bite out of Apple, ranking the Cupertino computer giant last in a report on tech companies' environmental policies and practices.

 

Greenpeace's December 2006 'Green Guide to Electronics' ranks Apple 14th out of 14 tech companies, with a lowly 2.7 out of 10 rating. The report judges companies on their efforts to clean up their products by eliminating hazardous substances as well as takeback and recycle their products responsibly once they become obsolete.

After finishing third last in the August 2006 report, Apple slipped to last in December as other tech companies improved their game. In the latest report, Greenpeace is scathing in its assessment of Apple's approach to environmental issues.

"For a company that claims to lead on product design, it is perhaps surprising to find Apple at the bottom of the scorecard – moving down from 10th place. While other laggards have moved upwards in the Guide, Apple has made no changes to its policies or practices since the launch of the Guide in August 2006," the report says.

"The company scores badly on almost all criteria. Apple fails to embrace the precautionary principle, withholds its full list of regulated substances and provides no timelines for eliminating toxic 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."

At the other end of the scale Nokia ranked first, in part due to its support for Individual Producer Responsibility, meaning companies should take care of the electronic waste from its own discarded products. Dell ranked a close second and Motorola was most improved.

The report is the latest volley in the war of words between Apple and Greenpeace, with Greenpeace expelled from London MacExpo in October.