Microsoft, Nintendo Mum on Poor Grades in Greenpeace Report

Nintendo of America and Microsoft were mum Wednesday after getting poor grades in the latest Guide to Greener Electronics from Greenpeace. The companies didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Nintendo came in last again among the 18 companies graded, receiving the same 1.8 points out of 10 it received the previous time, in May (CED May 27 p8). Microsoft dropped one to No. 17, falling to 1.9 points from 3.3.

Nintendo scored the most points on chemicals, after shipping videogame consoles that Greenpeace said had PVC-free internal wiring. The company also “banned phthalates and is monitoring use of antimony and beryllium,” the group said. Although Nintendo is trying to stop using PVC, the company “has not set a timeline for its phase-out,” Greenpeace complained. The company got credit “for adopting the precautionary principle in its approach to managing chemical substances and for publishing its standards for chemicals management.” But Nintendo remained scoreless “on all e-waste criteria, and although it has improved its information to customers about access to its take-back program in the U.S. and Canada, this is not enough to score points,” Greenpeace said. Nintendo scored points on energy criteria for “the energy efficiency of its low power AC adaptor for the Nintendo DSi, which meets the requirements for external power supplies” in Energy Star’s program, the group said. The company also retained a point on energy for disclosing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from operations. But Nintendo “fails to score for its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, due to a second year of increases, despite a commitment to cut CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases by 2 percent over each previous year,” Greenpeace said.

Microsoft’s reduced score was “a result of a penalty point imposed for backtracking on its commitment to phase out” brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and PVC by the end of this year, Greenpeace said. Microsoft set 2012 as the goal for phasing out BFRs and phthalates in all products, but Greenpeace said the company’s “commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear.” Microsoft doesn’t have any products entirely free of PVC and BFRs, and the company must ship products “free from BFRs in printed circuit boards before it can score points for this criterion,” the group said. Microsoft also “no longer scores maximum points on chemicals management as its commitments on the phase out of hazardous substances are not clearly communicated to its suppliers in its Restricted Substances for Hardware specification,” Greenpeace said. The company also “fails to show support for improvements to the revised” European Union RoHS Directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electronics) through a methodology for more restrictions on hazardous substances and “an immediate ban” on BFRs, chlorinated flame retardants (CFRs) and PVC, Greenpeace said.

Sony fared much better again. It’s the only videogame console maker of the three also graded on other CE devices. Sony was tied with Panasonic and Motorola for sixth with a 5.1 score. Sony’s scores rose from 4.9 in May. It gained one point for providing verification for its CSR report, which provides its calculations of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Greenpeace said. Sony performed “relatively well on chemicals, with its score boosted by having models on the market that are partially free of PVC and BFRs,” including all Vaio PC models and many models of products including camcorders, digital cameras, navigation systems, PSP handheld game systems and Walkman portable audio devices. Greenpeace warned that “to keep these points,” Sony must “show more progress in bringing new products that are free from these hazardous substances onto the market.” The company also “still needs to set a timeline for eliminating all phthalates, beryllium copper and antimony and its compounds,” Greenpeace said. Sony hasn’t yet shown support for bans on PVC vinyl plastic, BFRs and CFRs in the revision of the RoHS Directive, Greenpeace said. Sony reported a recycling rate of 58 percent based on past sales of TVs and PCs, but Greenpeace said that information was only for Japan and the product categories needed to be reported separately. The report didn’t mention the PS3.

Apple, meanwhile, dropped to ninth place from No. 5 with the same 4.9 score it received in May. Apple fared best in toxic chemicals criteria, where it scored most of its points. “All Apple products are now free” of PVC vinyl plastic and BFRs, “with the exception of PVC-free power cords in countries where their safety certification process is still ongoing,” Greenpeace said. Apple scored points for its chemicals policy, but to get “full marks it needs to provide a public position on its support for immediate restrictions in RoHS 2.0 on organo-chlorine and bromine compounds,” the group said. The company also must “clarify its stance regarding the position of the trade federation TechAmerica on further immediate restrictions and in particular PVC and BFRs.” Apple “continues to score poorly for the minimal information it provides about its future toxic chemical phase-out plans,” Greenpeace said. Nokia remained in first place (CED Oct 27 p6), maintaining its 7.5 score from May.