Apple, Philips rise in Greenpeace green rankings
updated 10:35 am EDT, Tue March 31, 2009
Greenpeace shifts rankings
Several companies have shifted positions within Greenpeace's quarterly tech industry rankings, the latest report from the environmental group states. One of the notable increases in rank belongs Apple, which has risen four spots in the list to reach 10th place. All of the company's major products, barring power cords, are now claimed to be free of PVC plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs); Greenpeace criticizes the company, however, for using "unreasonably high" threshold limits in counting products as free of the chemicals.
Dutch company Philips has made the most dramatic surge, leaping from 15th place to fourth based on a sudden reversal of policies on recycling and product takeback. Continuing the lead the list is Nokia, which not only has one of the largest takeback policies in the world and has also agreed to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 10 percent in 2009, and 18 percent in 2010, using 2006 as a reference point.
Greenpeace takes its harshest tack with HP, Lenovo and Dell, which it accuses of betraying commitments to eliminate PVCs and BFRs by the end of 2009. Lenovo has postponed the goal to 2010, while HP and Dell are said to have dropped any form of deadline. Acer has also removed an official deadline, but has managed to keep its rank by stating that it will attempt to meet the goal anyway.
