Wal-Mart to Market RoHS-Compliant Laptops

Wal-Mark Stores Inc., headquartered in Bentonville, Ark., says that as part of its continuing commitment to offer sustainable products at affordable prices to

its customers, it has partnered with Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. to develop the Satellite A55-S1064, the first RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substance) laptop available in the U.S. retail channel.

In 2005, Wal-Mart announced a corporate goal to take a leadership role in business sustainability, with a focus on climate, waste and the products it sells.

The RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substance) Directive has been adopted by the by the European Union and will go into effect July 1, 2006, in European markets. The directive restricts the use of certain hazardous substances, namely lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and two brominated flame retardants, in electrical and electronic equipment.

“Although there is no requirement in the United States for manufacturers to achieve the RoHS standard, Wal-Mart has taken the proactive stance of encouraging computer suppliers to restrict the quantities of hazardous substances in their products, including lead, cadmium, mercury and other substances identified by the RoHS directive,” a Wal-Mart release states. “The Toshiba laptop is the first of such efforts. All personal computers sold at Wal-Mart will meet the RoHS standard by July 2006.”

John Kooy, Wal-Mart’s vice president of electronics says, "Wal-Mart is bringing best practices to the U.S. for the betterment of the environment and our communities. Partnering with Toshiba to make this product available in the U.S. is the first of many upcoming initiatives and demonstrates our commitment to working with our suppliers to find innovative ways to protect our customers and the world we live in." Kooy adds, "A growing number of our customers are committed to protecting and sustaining our environment, and we felt it was important for Wal-Mart to move quickly to offer them a laptop that meets their needs, while exceeding U.S. environmental requirements."

Kooy says that Wal-Mart’s collaboration with Toshiba resulted from the work of the companies Sustainable Value Networks, which brings Wal-Mart together with environmental organizations, suppliers and representatives from government and academia to address integrating sustainability into the supply chain.

"The launch of an RoHS-compatible notebook computer sold through the world's largest retailer is part of Toshiba's overall commitment to the environment," Jeff Barney, vice president of marketing, digital products division (DPD), Toshiba America Information Systems, says. "Toshiba DPD believes strongly in ensuring all our notebooks are compatible with the RoHS standard."