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In a report titled ‘Guide to Greener Electronics’ environmental activist organization Greenpeace rated electronics companies based on their recycling policies and record of eliminating hazardous substances from their products and manufacturing processes.
According to Daily Tech, of the 14 reviewed firms Apple came bottom with a score of 2.7 points. Inadequate recycling policies and sketchy timelines for phasing out hazardous materials such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contributed to the low score.
"For a company that claims to lead on product design, it is perhaps surprising to find Apple languishing at the bottom of the scorecard," said the report. "While other laggards have moved upwards in the Guide (to Greener Electronics), Apple has made no changes to its policies or practices since the launch of the Guide in August 2006. The company scores badly on almost all criteria."
Greenpeace has a history of criticising Apple. Last year Greenpeace released a scathing report calling Apple the worst environmentally friendly PC manufacturer in the world, while demonstrators were kicked out of MacExpo two months earlier.
Meanwhile Lenovo came top of the scale, scoring eight of a possible 10 points in the report. The firm was praised for phasing out dangerous chemicals and for being the first to provide ‘global takeback and recycling services wherever its products are sold.’ Lenovo also got high marks for its adherence to existing environmental regulations and other relevant policies designed to protect human health and the global environment.
