US technology companies are not doing as well as their foreign
counterparts when it comes to protecting workers and the
environment from e-waste, according to a report released by the
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC).
The report, part of the group's Computer TakeBack Campaign, gave
poor or failing grades to six of the nine US companies it studied,
including Dell Computer, Hewlett-Packard and Gateway.
The organization hoped the report would encourage consumers to use
their buying power to convince technology companies to do more to
protect public health, worker safety and the environment.
The group analyses information from the Web sites of computer
companies, compares and measures the environmental qualities of
electronic equipment, and then grades the overall environmental
performance of companies.
The study concluded that US companies are not moving fast enough to
reduce e-waste such as polyvinyl chloride, brominated flame
retardants and other toxic materials used to manufacture computers.
The report singled out Dell for not participating in shareholder
meetings about computer takeback programmes or toxic materials
policies.
In addition, the SVTC criticised Dell for hiring Unicor, a US
government contractor, which uses prison inmates to recycle
computers. The group claimed the prison workers were not protected
against the hazards of recycling e-waste.
SVTC spokesman David Wood said members of the coalition dressed in
prison garb and staged a protest against Dell's policies at the
Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, last week.
Dell spokeswoman Michele Glaze said the company was disappointed by
the score it received on the study and said Dell is committed to
keeping computers out of the rubbish. She said Dell shared the
coalition's concerns about protecting people and the environment.
Glaze defended Dell's contract with Unicor, saying the company
adhered to all US government occupational safety and health
regulations.
"Our contract with Unicor allows us to offer recycling free of
charge to consumers," she said.