Greenpeace: Samsung and Toshiba are the "greenest"

Environmental protection organization Greenpeace released the seventh edition of its quarterly Guide to Greener Electronics today. Samsung and Toshiba, each with 7.7 out of a possible 10 points, lead the environmental ranking that takes into account factors like chemical use in electronics products and company recycling programs. Samsung does well at avoiding the use of toxic chemicals according to the environmentalists. But the company took a hit in the ratings because it does not voluntarily accept the turn-in of old products for disposal in all countries.

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While Toshiba was able to charge to the front of the pack with its good ratings for recycling and improvements in its use of chemicals, the leading firm in the previous ranking, Sony Ericsson, dropped back to seventh place. The company did not adequately meet its obligation to provide information to end-users according to Greenpeace. For example, they did not explain to customers in all countries how used equipment should be disposed of. Instead the operating instructions simply referred customers to local service partners.

The one-time top rated company Nokia has climbed back to third place after being sent down nine places for its failure to implement a product return program that it had announced. Apparently the Finns were successful in persuading Greenpeace that the red card was an overreaction. There was almost no change in the last places on the list, which are still occupied by Microsoft (4.7 points), Philips (4.3), and Nintendo (0.3 points). So long as Nintendo refuses to publish data on the chemicals it uses or information about product return programs for customers, the game console specialists are not likely to improve their ranking.

(trk)