Green points for HP and Apple; Nokia still top-of-the-class

"We went to press before Apple's updated environmental information was published last week, but the welcome news of their transparency about greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental disclosures will be factored in to the next edition. Apple can justly pat itself on the back for listening to their customers who asked for greener gadgets. And all you Apple users should pat yourselves on the back for asking", the Greenpeace statement announced. Hewlett-Packard had their penalty point lifted by putting a personal computer on the market that is virtually free of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride, or vinyl plastic) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Only the power supply unit and cable still contain these hazardous substances. HP back on track HP made a commitment in 2007 to have all PC products toxic-free in 2009, but went soft on that commitment earlier this year. However, the new HP ProBook 5310m notebook is the first evidence of the company getting back to that promise. Apple are still ahead on toxics removal, having eliminated these materials from its entire product line almost a year ago. But now HP has made the first step in catching up. HP's action now puts pressure squarely on its competitors to put more products on the market that are cleaner and safer, the environmental group continues. Slow learners: Dell and Lenovo Dell and Lenovo each retain a penalty point for delaying their phase-out commitments indefinitely. Acer claims that it will still achieve its target for eliminating PVC and BFRs in all products by the end of this year. Meanwhile Toshiba has a timeline to phase out these toxic substances from all its products by the end of March 2010. Top of the class: Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Philips Nokia remains at the top of the ranking, with a score of 7.5 out of 10, followed by Samsung with 6.9, Sony Ericsson with 6.5 and Philips –- which leaps from 7th to 4th place -- with 5.9 points. The other climber is Sony, rising from 12th to 8th place. Slow-footed: LGE, Fujitsu and Lenovo LGE plummets from 4th to 11th position, weighed down by a penalty point for flip-flopping on its promise to get off the toxic sauce by the end of 2010 – now, only its mobile phones will be free of these PVC and BFRs by then, while phase-out in TVs and monitors has been delayed until 2012. At the bottom of the ranking, Fujitsu, with a score of 2.7, overtakes Lenovo, which drops from 16th to second-last place with a score of 2.5. Image Source: © Greenpeace / Prakash Hatvalne