Apple Spurns O2’s Green Phone Ranking

Mobile phone giant O2 has launched an “eco rating” scheme, which it says will help customers make a sustainable choice when buying a new mobile phone – but Apple has excluded the iPhone from the scheme.

Together with sustainability group Forum for the Future, O2 has drawn up a list of 65 mobile phones from six manufacturers, rating each device based on its overall environmental impact during its lifespan. This includes the raw materials it contains, the impacts caused by its manufacture, its packaging, its longevity and energy efficiency, and how easy it is to reuse or recycle.

The scheme also takes into account the functionality of handsets – giving extra credit to devices that reduce the need for additional gadgets – and the ethical performance of manufacturers, including labour standards in the supply chain, safety and environmental principles, social inclusion and community programmes, and carbon and water management.

“We know that sustainability is important for many of our customers and for the first time they will have the whole picture from which to make a full and balanced purchasing decision,” said Ronan Dunne, O2’s UK chief executive. “Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the social and environmental impact of the technology they buy and we believe this kind of product transparency will help empower them to make greener choices.”

Eco rating

Of those phones rated, Sony Ericsson’s Elm topped the list, scoring 4.3 out of a possible 5. Seven phones tied in second place with a score of 4.0. These were: Nokia 1800, Nokia 6700, Nokia C7, Samsung GT-S8500, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini, Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini pro and the Sony Ericsson Zylo.

“We are very proud that 5 out of the top 10 models in the rating come from Sony Ericsson and that our GreenHeart model Elm is leading the pack,” said Mats Pellbäck Scharp, head of sustainability at Sony Ericsson. “Of all attempts to compare environmental performance, we believe this rating system gives consumers the clearest picture on the environmental impact of their phone.”

The full list is published online and will be in stores from this week.

Apple opts out

There are currently 4.1 billion mobile phones in circulation worldwide, with a combined carbon footprint of more than 100 million tonnes. According to O2, 44 percent of consumers claim that environmental factors would have an influence on their mobile phone purchase.

The six manufacturers participating in the scheme are Nokia, Sony Ericsson, HTC, LG, Samsung and Palm. Noticeably absent from the list is Apple, which was targeted by environmental campaign group Greenpeace earlier this year for the “dirty” infrastructure behind some of its cloud services.

Greenpeace has also previously run a “Green my Apple” campaign, putting pressure on the company to phase out the use of brominated flame retardants and PVC in the manufacture of its products. Apple CEO Steve Jobs finally bowed to the group’s demands in 2007.

Apple has not commented on why it has not joined O2’s eco rating scheme. However, like many other mobile companies, Apple does already have an online environmental reporting scheme, as well as a recycling programme. However, Sony Ericsson has previously claimed that, according to Apple’s green reporting claims, the iPhone has around twice the carbon footprint of a comparable Sony Ericsson phone.

Think Big

O2’s eco rating scheme is part of the operator’s “Think Big” sustainability programme, intended to bring sustainable products and services to its customers. Other initiatives include cheap SIM-only deals, giving customers the option to hang onto handsets for longer, and O2 Recycle, which pays customers to recycle their old mobile phones.

Mobile recycling is becoming an increasingly popular way to dispose of old devices. However, according to the Home Office, an estimated 100,000 stolen mobile phones, worth around £4 million, are being sold to recycling companies each year.

In July, recycling firms agreed a code of practice, enabling them to check the details of every phone they are offered against the National Mobile Phone Register. If the phone is flagged as stolen, the company will refuse to buy it and details of both the phone and the person trying to sell it to them will be forwarded to the police.