OEM's FAIL RECYCLING REPORT CARD

[Anonymous]

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/green-tech/item/18406-electronic-companies-flunk/
OEM’s FAIL RECYCLING REPORT CARD
Electronic companies flunk take-back test
clik on this link to see the report card
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/10/19/dell-samsung-asus-receive-high-grades-for-recycling/?graph=full&id=1
A
new report card that grades computer, television, printer and game
console companies on their efforts to take back and recycle their old
products has singled out which companies are underachievers.The
Electronics TakeBack Coalition recycling report, released in advance of
the US holiday buying season, examined electronic companies across the
board and most of them made the recycling grade but others, namely
printer companies and some TV companies, performed poorly.The highest
marks went to Dell, Samsung and Asus, while other companies displayed a
decline in achievement – including Brother, Kodak, Lexmark, Philips,
Funai, Epson and RCA

Responsible recycling
The overall
performance of companies was poor in the “responsible recycling”
category, which requires transparency in recycling policies, vendor
requirements and vendors used, as well as giving the most credit to
companies whose recyclers are qualified under the e-Stewards
program.“Announcing that you have a take-back program really isn’t
enough,” said Robin Schneider, executive director of the Texas Campaign
for the Environment, and vice-chair of the Electronics TakeBack
Coalition.“Most electronics companies have some kind of take-back
program – but what we are looking at is whether these programs are
actually effective in collecting their old products, and are making sure
they are not just being exported to developing nations,” Schneider
said.
Dishonourable mention

Despite their achievement in
receiving a ‘B’, technology giant Samsung also received a “dishonourable
mention” in the report; due to concerns over its occupational health
record in Korean manufacturing plants where many young workers have been
diagnosed with blood cancers, resulting in numerous deaths.Apart from
HP, all printer companies flunked the report card for varying reasons,
such as supplying no take-back programme for old equipment (Brother and
Kodak) or do not provide physical take back (Epson, Lexmark, and
Canon).“If you don’t offer physical collection sites or events, you are
not serious about your take-back program.  With so many cheap consumer
printers being practically disposable these days, the printer companies
should be doing a lot more to make sure they get their old equipment
back,” said Barbara Kyle, national co-ordinator of the electronics
TakeBack Coalition.“Most of the printer companies simply offer mail-back
recycling programs, but statistics show that people won’t mail back
larger products like printers.”This year’s report card included
televisions, computers, printers and game console companies. A toner
take-back report card is in the works.Companies were graded on whether
their products were being recycled responsibly, how they were promoting
loop recycling, transparency in reporting, and positions on government
policies related to recycling.For an explanation of how the companies
were graded, click here     http://www.electronicstakeback.com

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS185197692920101020
OEM’s FAIL RECYCLING REPORT CARD
The
Electronics TakeBack Coalition released a new report card today that
grades computer, television, printer, and game console companies on
their efforts to take back and recycle their old products. Most of the
manufacturers passed muster, but most printer companies and some TV ones
flunked.

The highest marks go to Dell , Samsung , and Asus, but
there were still some companies with failing grades, including Brother,
Kodak , Lexmark , Philips, Funai ,  Epson, and RCA .

Samsung also
got a “dishonorable mention” because of concerns about their
occupational health record at manufacturing plants in Korea where many
young workers have been diagnosed with blood cancers and several have
already died.”Announcing that you have a takeback program really isn’t
enough,” said Robin Schneider, Executive Director of the Texas Campaign
for the Environment, and Vice Chair of the Electronics TakeBack
Coalition. “Most electronics companies have some kind of takeback
program–but what we are looking at is whether these programs are
actually effective in collecting their old products, and are making sure
they are not just being exported to developing nations.”

Key grading criteria:
–
How extensive are the takeback programs, especially in states that
don’t have strong laws requiring them to do so, including: How many
collection sites are in each state? How much volume is coming back?

– Are products being recycled responsibly (not exported)

– What are the companies doing to promote reuse and closed loop recycling?

– Transparency in reporting

– Positions on government policies related to recycling

The
printer industry generally scored the lowest marks–all failed except
for HP–as well as a few TV manufacturers like Funai (5th largest U.S.
seller), RCA, and Philips.”If you don’t offer physical collection sites
or events, you are not serious about your takeback program. With so many
cheap consumer printers being practically disposable these days, the
printer companies should be doing a lot more to make sure they get their
old equipment back,” said Barbara Kyle, National Coordinator of the
Electronics TakeBack Coalition. “Most of the printer companies simply
offer mailback recycling programs, but statistics show that people won’t
mail back larger products like printers.”

Companies generally
performed poorly in the “responsible recycling” category, which requires
transparency in recycling policies, vendor requirements, and vendors
used, as well as giving the most credit to companies whose recyclers are
qualified under the e-Stewards program. The e-Stewards program
evaluates electronics recyclers against the highest standards in the
industry, including a ban on exporting toxic e-waste (included untested
and non-working products) to developing countries. The program has
evolved from a voluntary “Pledge” program into a certification program
with a comprehensive standard and accredited third party auditors who
certify whether a recycler conforms to the standard.”People are
increasingly looking for ‘green’ electronics, and convenient and
responsible recycling programs are a significant part of that picture,”
said Robin Schneider. “Consumers should consider a company’s recycling
program when they decide what to buy.”

[Author]

November 3, 2010 at 9:14 AM