Sony Ericsson phone -
Sony Ericsson has recently committed to remove
toxic chemicals from its entire product range.
Market leaders such as Sony Ericsson show
that substitution of toxics with safer alternatives
is possible.
29/04/2005 — Sony Ericsson has announced that
it will be phasing toxic chemicals out of
its entire product range. The company listened
to the thousands of participants in our online
action demanding that electronics companies
phase out toxic chemicals and substitute them
with safer alternatives.
Demand for toxic-free products is clearly
the people's choice. Back in November we asked
for your help to pressure electronic companies
to change for the better. Over 14,000 people
from across the globe responded by writing
over 32,000 messages to the top producers
of mobile phones, computers and TVs. Sony
Ericsson listened. We hope the other companies
are listening too.
Now just one company phasing out toxic substances
might not sound like a big deal. But in 2004
Sony Ericsson sold 42 million phones. Soon
millions of these phones will be shipped without
containing chemicals hazardous to human health
and the environment.
Why are chemicals in products important?
Companies going toxics-free means less pollution
and worker exposure during production, less
chemicals in your home during use and easier,
cleaner recycling and disposal. Discover more
companies taking postive steps in our toxic
free catwalk.
Our recent tests of products in Italy revealed
that consumer goods aimed at children and
babies contained the highest levels of toxic
substances, out of a shopping basket of everyday
articles. For example Mattel's Barbie Fashion
Fever contained high levels of toxic chemicals.
These results show that company voluntary
measures are good, but other companies will
never change unless they are forced to by
law. Only then will these toxic chemicals
be brought phased out and substituted with
safer alternatives.
What about those laws?
Current regulation of chemicals is weak and
inadequate. Almost everyone has dozens of
man-made chemicals in their body, the effects
of these chemical cocktails on our health
are unknown. In Europe the EU is drafting
new laws, that would set a world standard,
we need to make sure that the new law not
only identifies all hazardous chemicals, but
also requires their substitution with safer
alternatives.
While better chemical regulation should be
welcomed by all, it is under attack from predictable
quarters. The chemical industry has been scare
mongering with exaggerated claims of job losses
and declining profits. It has also recruited
dirty industries best friend, the Bush Administration,
to threaten Europe with a World Trade Organisation
lawsuit if it dares to try and cut toxic pollution.
The best way to counter inaccurate industry
lobbying is to have other companies' show
they can do without toxic chemicals. The list
is growing - Ikea, H&M, Sony Ericsson,
Marks&Spencer, Sony, Nokia and Puma are
leading the way.
