Calling out Samsung for toxic failure

Activists in Brussels sticker ‘Samsung = broken promises’

03 March 2010
(from Greenpeace website)

Greenpeace climbers scale the Benelux headquarters of the Korean electronic giant Samsung, displaying the message “Samsung = Broken Promises”.

© Greenpeace / Philip Reynaers / Greenpeace

Brussels, Belgium — Samsung still uses PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in all its products, except in a few models of mobile phone, MP3 players and some components, despite many promises to clean up. That’s why our activists stuck huge stickers on the Korean electronic giant’s Benelux headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday stating “Samsung = broken promises”.

All new models of Apple, Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones are PVC and BFRs (brominated flame retardants) free, and have been for over a year now. Meanwhile, Samsung — the world’s second largest mobile phone maker — has only offered up two phones which don’t contain these toxic substances (Blue Earth GT-S7550 and Reclaim M560).

A promise made in 2004

In June 2004, Samsung was the first electronics company to publicly commit to eliminate PVC and BFRs from new models of all its products. In 2006 Samsung committed to phasing our BFRs from its products by the start of 2010. In 2007 it committed to a deadline of end 2010 for the phase out of PVC. Both moves saw the company gain points and position in our influential Guide to Greener Electronics.

“Samsung’s promises are proving to be as thin as its TVs, as it loses face and ground to competitors like Apple, HP, Nokia and Sony Ericsson who have long delivered products free of these hazardous substances, proving that this can be done,” said Greenpeace Electronics campaigner Iza Kruszewska.

When a company like Samsung goes back on its commitments to clean up in the interest of the environment and public health, it erodes consumer trust in the brand. Any delay in removing hazardous substances needs to be clearly communicated with valid reasons.

Other companies ranked in the Guide to Greener Electronics have kept their promises, some even a year ahead of deadlines. In contrast, Samsung only admitted to Greenpeace weeks before it was due to deliver new greener products that it would break its promise. By this delaying tactic Samsung was able to avoid losing more points in our influential green ranking.

Samsung was penalized in the last Guide for failing to meet its deadline, and will likely be the first company to get a second penalty in the next edition of the Guide if it fails to show significant progress on toxics phase out.

For original article:

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/calling-out-samsung-030310