Color these iPods and cell phones green
Major electronics OEMs like Apple and Sony Ericsson are taking out bromine and chlorine from their products
Jim Carbone -- Purchasing, 10/9/2009 3:38:46 PM
Apple, Sony Ericsson and Seagate are among seven companies that are leading the way in eliminating bromine and chlorine from their products, according to a new report by two nonprofit environmental organizations.
The seven companies are designing out substances from their products that can damage the environment, says the report, “Greening Consumer Electronics: Moving Away from Bromine and Chlorine.” The report was prepared by ChemSec of Sweden and Clean Production Action (CPA) of the U.S.
Bromine is used in brominated flame retardants (BFRs), which are added to materials to inhibit their ignition and slow their rate of combustion. Chlorine is in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is used in insulation for cables in electronics equipment.
Some BFRs are toxic and bio-accumulate, meaning they build up in humans and animals over time. The manufacture of PVC involves use of hazardous raw materials, including vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which is highly toxic and carcinogenic.
“The biggest concern with brominated and chlorinated products in electronics is their end-of-life treatment,” says Alexandra McPherson, CPA project director. “We don’t have an infrastructure to handle toxic chemicals.”
She says most electronics products when they reach end of life are exported to developing countries for waste treatment. “We are finding high levels of dioxin contamination in China where they are handling electronics waste.” Some of that contamination is from brominated and chlorinated chemicals used in electronics.
The companies cited in the report have eliminated or greatly reduced bromine and chloride chemicals in their products. The companies are:
- Apple. Apple restricts the use of nearly all bromine and chlorine compounds across all its product lines. Apple now offers a wide range of PVC-and BFR- free products, including iPhones and iPods. Its computers are free of BFRs and most uses of PVC.
- Sony Ericsson. Sony Ericsson’s products are now 99.9% BFR free and will have no PVC components by the end of 2009.
- Seagate. The disk drive manufacturer is building new drives that no longer use chlorine- and bromine-based chemistries.
- DSM Engineering Plastics. The plastics manufacturer is among the first to have a complete portfolio of plastics that are free of bromine and chlorine. The company produces a high- temperature polyamide 4T polymer with bromine-free grades for connectors and sockets and a thermoplastic co-polyester that replaces PVC-based wire and cables.
- Nan Ya and Indium. Nan Ya, a major laminate manufacturer, and Indium, a high-end manufacturer of solder paste and flux, are making bromine- and chlorine-free components for printed circuit boards.
- Silicon Storage Technology, Inc. The flash memory manufacturer supplies bromine-free chips to Apple and other OEMs.
“These seven companies demonstrate that there are less toxic and still cost-effective alternatives to substances of high concern that do not compromise performance or reliability,” says McPherson.
She says the seven companies demonstrate best industry practices and provide critical guidance for the development of environmentally robust standards and policies for the electronics industry.
See also: Get ready for REACH and RoHS 2
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