04 February 2010
-International — This is what we like to
see: a true leader in toxics-free electronics
showing giants like Dell and Samsung how
it's done.
One of India's relatively
small PC manufacturing companies, Wipro,
has beaten giants like Dell, Samsung and
Lenovo to the finish line in producing a
computer free of the worst toxic chemicals.
A major first in India,
the announcement marks another success for
our green erelectronics campaign in driving
tech companies around the world to clean
up their products.
The new computer, named
"Greenware" is free of both hazardous
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and BFRs (brominated
flame retardants). This meets a long-time
demand of Greenpeace. Since 2005, we have
been encouraging a greener electronics race
by ranking company performance. Wipro joins
companies like Apple, HP and Nokia who are
leading the way on eliminating toxic chemicals.
Years of pressure from Greenpeace, and attention
to our ranking from green consumers, are
driving more and more companies to clean
up their act.
2010 is the year many
electronics companies pledged to remove
toxic chemicals like PVC and BFRs. Those
that took this pledge seriously are now
delivering. Other companies that are far
bigger than Wipro in the global market --
such as Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung -- are
failing to come up with the green goods.
In our latest ranking,
Samsung lost points for failing to give
a clear timeline for removing toxic chemicals,
as did Dell and others.
E-waste in Asia
PVC contaminates humans and the environment
throughout its lifecycle; during its production,
use, and disposal it is the single most
environmentally damaging of all plastics,
and can form dioxin, a known carcinogen,
when burned. Some BFRs are highly resistant
to degradation in the environment and are
able to build up in animals and humans.
With the growth of electronic
waste, workers who deal with e-waste are
exposed to significant health risks, as
are nearby communities. Burning of e-waste
to recover valuable resources can form dangerous
dioxins. Eliminating the substances will
decrease exposure and increase the recyclability
and reusability of electronic products.
Toxic waste is a particular
concern in Asia, as a lot of the waste produced
in developed countries ends up there for
crude recycling, though a better word for
it would probably be "dumping."
Poor regulations and control enable a traffic
that is essentially illegal.
