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The greenest consumer electronic products on the market today may have a smaller environmental footprint than those sold a year ago, according to the latest green electronics research from Greenpeace. But the organization, which released the report at CES, says that the industry still has a way to go before they can claim a truly green product.The greenest consumer electronic products on the market today may have a smaller environmental footprint than those sold a year ago, according to the latest green electronics research from Greenpeace. But the organization, which released the report at CES, says that the industry still has a way to go before they can claim a truly green product.

From energy efficiency to toxics used in manufacturing to end-of-life issues, the road to truly green electronics faces a steep climb. Although most companies are taking these issues very seriously, it will surely be a slow process. Every three months, the international environmental group Greenpeace rates these companies on how well they're doing -- and raises the bar a little higher. In this, the tenth quarterly Guide to Greener Electronics, Greenpeace calls on manufacturers to up their company-wide commitments to steep and rapid cuts in overall greenhouse gas emissions. Nokia maintains its top score in the ranking, earning 6.9 points out of 10 possible for its takeback program and reducing the use of toxic chemicals like PVC, brominated flame retardants and antimony trioxide. Rounding out the top four is a three-way tie between Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Samsung, all with 5.9 points. Sony earned high marks for its new environmental warranty for responsible takeback, Toshiba gains ground with its reporting of and goals toward renewable energy use and emissions reductions, and Samsung earned praise for reducing toxic chemical use and building energy-efficient products.

January 8, 2009 (IDG News Service) New consumer-electronics products are a little greener than those on sale a year ago -- but manufacturers could do much better, according to a study by environmental campaign group Greenpeace International . The report, "Green Electronics: The Search Continues" (download PDF) , evaluated 50 products that 15 companies identified as their most environmentally friendly models, but it found that none of them performed well against all criteria. Greenpeace will hold a news conference at the International CES in Las Vegas on Friday to discuss the report's details

Consumers are increasingly demanding better environmental attributes in their digital gadgets, but the consumer electronics industry can go a lot further to make gadgets "green." Environmental watchdog Greenpeace held a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Friday to announce results of its second annual survey called "Green Electronics: the Search Continues." Consumers are increasingly demanding better environmental attributes in their digital gadgets, but the consumer electronics industry can go a lot further to make gadgets "green." Environmental watchdog Greenpeace held a press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Friday to announce results of its second annual survey called "Green Electronics: the Search Continues."

The results of the Green Electronics Survey 2008. As companies have made increasingly stronger commitments to eliminate toxic chemicals, increase their products' energy efficiency and improve their recycling efforts by embracing financial responsibility for their electronic waste, Greenpeace has sought to comprehensively assess the state of green products coming into the global marketplace, looking even beyond its initial criteria in the Guide to Greener Electronics .

The results of the Green Electronics Survey 2008. As companies have made increasingly stronger commitments to eliminate toxic chemicals, increase their products' energy efficiency and improve their recycling efforts by embracing financial responsibility for their electronic waste, Greenpeace has sought to comprehensively assess the state of green products coming into the global marketplace, looking even beyond its initial criteria in the Guide to Greener Electronics.

following the e-waste trail

Beijing Review article by Ding Wenlei, 7/9/09. "In the eight years after Guiyu became a collection point for electronic waste, Greenpeace China and other green organizations have not stopped urging major waste exporters to cease shipping their detritus to China. At the same time, they have been lobbying the Chinese Government to crack down more effectively on illegal electronic waste recycling. China finally has its own regulation on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)-the Regulation on the Administration of the Recovery and Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products. Announced on February 25, the regulation will hold producers liable for the costs of managing their products at the end of their lifecycles as of January 1, 2011. According to the regulation, China will license large qualified recycling plants and develop a recycling economy to better safeguard the environment and human health. Yet, for environmental organizations, the Chinese Government and licensed recycling plants, it remains an uphill battle to smash the business chain of the illegal recycling of electronic waste."

With all the hoopla surrounding Apple's announcements about the iPhone 3G S and its subsequent release on June 19th, many might have forgotten about another key date coming up just as fast.

This study, the first to investigate workplace contamination in areas in Ghana where e-waste recycling and disposal is carried out, focussed on the main centre for this type of work, at the Agbogbloshie scrap market in Ghana's capital, Accra. One of the numerous similar, though far smaller, operations that take place throughout Ghana was also investigated, at the location of a scrap dealer in Korforidua, a smaller city to the north of Accra. At these workshops, e-waste is recycled in a crude way, primarily involving manual disassembly and open burning to isolate copper from plastics. Much of the work is carried out by children, commonly using only rudimentary tools and with no protective equipment.