Computer Report Card Released, Shows U.S. Companies Lagging Far Behind

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Computer Report Card Released, Shows U.S. Companies Lagging Far Behind

National Computer TakeBack Campaign Launched!

CALIFORNIA, SAN JOSE, Nov. 27 -/E-Wire/-- As the holiday buying season approaches, many diverse groups(1) across the U.S. have

joined together to release the 3rd Annual Computer Report Card and to launch the

Computer TakeBack Campaign. The Computer Report Card provides consumers, local

governments, and advocates with a tool to measure electronics equipment and the

performance of companies that produce computers. The Computer Report Card reveals that

companies in the United States are continuing to lag behind their overseas

counterparts in clean production, protecting workers' health and producing

environmentally superior products.

"E-waste (electronic waste) is one of the fastest growing and most toxic waste

streams -- threatening human health and the environment,' said Ted Smith, executive

director of the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and Coordinator of the national

Computer TakeBack Campaign ("the Campaign.').

This year's evaluation reveals several troubling double standards in the global

production of computers: between countries, among companies, and even within companies

doing business in different areas of the world. Over the past year, several

environmental and health initiatives with important impacts on the high-tech sector

have been adopted in Europe and Japan. In stark contrast, there have been no major

policy initiatives in the U.S. to reduce environmental health impacts of computer

"Consumers in the U.S. are receiving second-class treatment from high-tech companies

that think they're first-class global companies,' said David Wood of the GrassRoots

The Computer Report Card results indicate that companies maintain disparate practices

by meeting higher standards outside of the U.S. that are mandated by many governments

*Since 1989, IBM has offered product take-back programs in certain European countries

where required by law. By contrast, IBM announced a U.S. take-back effort earlier this

year, but they charge $29.99 to recycle computer equipment -- a clear disincentive for

consumer participation.

*Apple Computer of Germany provides a take-back program where customers can return

electronic appliances at no charge, but offers no such program to U.S. consumers.

*Sony has a full scale take-back program for computer monitors in Germany that

charges no disposal fee. However, Sony Electronics and other partners unveiled a

limited 5-year disposal-fee program in October 2000 to collect and recycle electronics

from residential customers in parts of the U.S.

*Finally, the Japanese and European governments recently voted to phase out the use

of some of the most hazardous substances in the electronics industry. As a result,

some Japanese companies offer computer equipment without lead or brominated flame

retardants, while U.S. companies do not offer these environmentally preferable

"Companies in Europe and Asia are detoxifying their products and taking them back,'

said Michael Bender of the Mercury Policy Project. "It's time for U.S. companies to

take-back products and design them to be cleaner and safer, more durable and easier to

disassemble, reuse and recycle.'

In particular, a widening chasm exists among practices of companies in Japan and

those in the U.S. Seven out of the top ten ranked companies in this year's Computer

Report Card are based in Japan. On the overall scores, with few exceptions, most U.S.

companies scored near the bottom of the pack.

Report Card Leaders and Laggards (Scores out of a possible 68)(2)

Leaders (Companies) - Score (Numerical)

Canon, Japan - 35; Toshiba, Japan - 33; IBM, US - 32; Fujitsu, Japan - 30; Sony, Japan - 30; NEC, Japan - 27; Hewlett-Packard, US - 26; Brother, Japan - 26; Apple, US - 25

Laggards (Companies) - Score (Numerical)

Hitachi, Japan - 20; Oki, Japan - 20; Seiko Epson, Japan - 19; Compaq, US - 17; Matsushita/Panasonic, Japan - 17; Dell, US - 16; Samsung, Korea - 15; Sharp, Japan - 14; Micron, US - 11; Gateway, US - 9; Philips, Dutch - 9; Lexmark, US - 6; ViewSonic, US - 5; Acer, Taiwan - 2 Wyse Technologies, Taiwan - 2; e-machines, US - 0; Daewoo, Korea - 0; Lucky Goldstar, Korea - 0; AST, Taiwan - 0

Currently, most "obsolete' electronic products are not recycled, and the expense of

managing discarded electronics is usually borne by taxpayer-funded local government

programs. The Campaign's ultimate aims are producer responsibility, clean production,

pollution prevention and waste avoidance through a hierarchy of practices, including

source reduction, reuse, re-manufacturing and recycling.

Make use of your buying power by purchasing environmentally preferable products. Call

on your government representatives to insist on corporate responsibility! Buy a new

computer only if you really need to and when you do, buy the most environmentally

sound option -- look for the eco-labels at

http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/greendesign/index.html.

Learn from your counterparts in Europe and Japan and pass laws requiring computer

manufacturers to take-back their obsolete equipment and make products without toxic,

persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. Use your institutional buying power to

purchase environmentally preferable equipment.

3. For Computer Companies:

Become a leader in accepting full life-cycle responsibility for your products.

Clearly disclose information about toxics in products, eliminate toxic constituents,

and offer easy access to take-back programs free-of-charge.

The Computer Report Card is being released in over one dozen metropolitan areas,

including: Austin, TX; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Boulder, CO; Madison and Milwaukee,

WI; Minneapolis, MN; Montpelier, VT; NY, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR;

Providence, RI; San Jose, CA; Washington, DC. For more information on the Report Card,

the Campaign and its participants, visit us at www.svtc.org or www.grrn.org.

(1) Founding members of the Campaign include: As You Sow Foundation,

Clean Production Network, Clean Water Fund, INFORM, Communications

Workers of America, ecopledge.com, Friends of the Earth,

GrassRoots Recycling Network, Institute for Local Self-Reliance,

Materials for the Future Foundation, Mercury Policy Project,

Sierra Club, and Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

(2) The scores for each company are out of a possible maximum score of

68, based on a 0-4 rating applied to each of 17 criteria relating

to each company's practices in the U.S. in areas of: hazardous

materials use; producer take back; occupational safety and health;

and, ease of access to information. Raw data was obtained from

company web sites. Once compiled and analyzed, each company

received information specific to it and had the opportunity to

respond. Responses, where appropriate, were incorporated into the

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition

http://www.grrn.org.

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