Sony Ericsson Joins Technology Firms to Lobby European Parliament to Ban HazWaste in Electronics

A collection of technology firms and public interest organizations are calling on the European Union to strengthen the EU restrictions on hazardous substances (RoHS) directive.

In addition to Sony Ericsson, members of the group include Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, ChemSec, Clean Production Action and the European Environmental Bureau.

Current RoHS directives restrict some heavy metals and two types of brominated flame retardants (BFR). However, the members are calling for restrictions on all BFRs, as well as PVC.

In a release announcing the company joining the group, Sony Ericsson notes that over the past 18 months Sony Ericsson has been developing products without the restricted materials, and believes that substitute materials are available and could be rolled out across the industry with little disruption.

“Sony Ericsson is committed to a complete phase-out of halogenated organic substances from its products, and at the current time has phased out almost all brominated flame retardants (BFR)," says Daniel Paska, environmental expert at Sony Ericsson. "We believe the electronics industry has a responsibility to move proactively to find substitutes to replace BFR and PVC and are therefore calling on EU legislators to show leadership on this issue by voting to tighten the RoHS directive.”

Sony Ericsson, along with the other members of the alliance, will lobby EU legislators who are currently in the process of debating whether to tighten the existing RoHS directive and invites other members of the industry to join them.

“Sony Ericsson is committed to delivering products with the best possible environmental performance in the industry”, says Mats Pellbäck Scharp, Sony Ericsson’s head of corporate sustainability. “That is why we support strong environmental legislations. We have also introduced a range of GreenHeart pioneer phones that showcase more sustainable materials like recycled plastics, waterbourne paints and energy efficient chargers. We have also committed to making the majority of our 2011 portfolio compliant with GreenHeart requirements.:

Sony Ericsson has to date phased out all PVC in its products and nearly all halogenated flame retardants.