U.S. high tech companies are the worst globally for taking steps to minimise the use of hazardous materials in electronic products and encourage the use of greener materials and recycling, according to the 2002 Report Card from the Computer TakeBack Campaign (CTBC).
According to the report, the U.S. is now behind other countries in developing solutions to curb the use of hazardous components in computer manufacturing. The report states that countries that already have legislation in place such as the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Europe and the Appliance Recycling Law in Japan have already gone some way in forcing manufacturers to reassess their manufacturing processes and accept responsibility for products throughout their lifecycle.
The Report Card highlights the concern of how American manufacturing companies continue to conduct their businesses. Some companies stand accused of continuing to export e-waste from the U.S. to developing countries. The report also notes that some companies are dealing in double standards regarding the takeback of certain products by offering different takeback services depending on local regulations. The report also underlines that there is currently uneven progress in reducing lead in computer products and efforts to replace brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and PVC with less toxic alternatives have been insufficient.
Of the 28 electronics manufacturers evaluated in the report, only Fujitsu received a passing grade with a score of 35 (out of 68). The report assessed companies in the areas of extended producer responsibility (EPR), hazardous materials use, occupational health and safety and ease of information access. At the bottom of the rankings, 16 companies including NEC, Gateway, Dell, Sharp and Philips failed the test entirely. Three companies, Hitachi, Hewlett Packard/ Compaq and OKI were given a 'poor' score and the report noted that those companies had taken steps in the removal of lead from products.
Eight companies including Canon, IBM, Apple and Sony 'needed improvement' and the report gave extra credit to Apple for describing how its machines were disassembled for recycling and Sony was recognised for describing its recycling policies.
The top three ranking companies were Fujitsu which the report said "leads the computer industry in both environmental innovation and public disclosure", Canon for mapping a future with less toxic products and IBM for setting goals and deadlines to eliminate lead in its products.
