Nokia, Dell Top Green Ranking

Staff Reporter -- Electronic News, 8/25/2006

Nokia and Dell are the tops in environmental responsibility, according to a recent report card released by Greenpeace.

The companies took first and second place, respectively, in rankings of the electronics industry in the group's new "Guide to Greener Electronics."

Third place went to Hewlett-Packard, followed by Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sony LG Electronics, Panasonic, Toshiba, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, Apple and Acer making up the top 12 companies.

Environmental awareness has been at the forefront of many electronics companies' priorities this summer, with the new European Union's Restriction on Hazardous Substances directive going into effect July 1.

The rankings are based on Greenpeace's two main demands for the electronics industry: to eliminate hazardous substances from their products, and to take back and recycle their products responsibly once they have become unusable.

"Consumers need to know how these companies are progressing, and companies need to acknowledge that the elimination of harmful substances used in their products is the only way they can ensure safe reuse and recycling of electronic waste," Rick Hind, legislative director for Greenpeace USA's toxics campaign, said in a statement.

"It's especially disappointing to see Apple score so low in the this guide," Hind added. "They act like they belong in the World Series of design and innovation, but they play like a slumping farm team in the environmental pennant race."

Motorola shared the report card's bottom position with Lenovo.