GreenBiz.com, 2 July 2008 –

Greenpeace continues to tweak its Guide to Greener Electronics with the eighth edition of the ranking tool, now looking at energy issues along with chemical and e-waste criteria. In the latest edition, only two companies score more than five out of 10, as opposed to the previous version, when 12 of the 18 ranked companies had more than six or seven points. Overall, companies earned higher points on their chemicals policies and few points on energy and greenhouse gas practices.

Sony Ericsson and Sony were the only ones with more than five points, and half the companies scored between four and five points. Microsoft and Nintendo find themselves at the bottom of the list with 2.2 and .8 points, respectively. Nokia would have taken first place, but it was deducted one point dues to staff not being informed about its product takeback services in India. One thing keeping Nintendo so low is that it provides no or limited information related to the rating criteria. Greenpeace bases its rankings on what companies make publicly available in the interest of encouraging transparency and holding companies publicly accountable. Nintendo, according to Greenpeace, is the one company that has never responded to requests for information.

The newest guide also changed up some of the previous chemical and e-waste criteria, combining the requirements of having timelines for removing PVC and removing brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Greenpeace also weighs chemical practices more highly than recycling practices, added a criteria for phasing out other chemicals such as phthalates and berylium, and looks at how much recycled plastic companies use in products.

The new energy criteria look at if companies support global mandatory reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, disclose their GHG emissions and the emissions from at least two stages of their supply chains, commit to reduce GHG emissions with timelines, use renewable energy and release new products that are energy efficient. Previous criteria that are still considered include using PVC and BFRs, providing product takeback information and services, and reporting on the amount of products that are recycled.

Apple, which got high marks for removing PVC and BFRs from products, announced shortly after the guide was released that it would be shipping the iPhone 3G with paper trays made from potato starch instead of plastic or Styrofoam.

Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)