To build the components that make up a computing device requires a plethora of raw materials.
Among these are a number of metal elements that are commonly sourced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the mining trade has, for many years, been used to fund brutal conflicts, notably in the Eastern regions of the country, as well as in neighbouring states.
To find out more information about this, check out our feature on technology and conflict minerals.
DriverPack Solution, free download. Driver installer software for Windows: Driver management software that can download the latest drivers for a potential boost in system performance or troubleshooting errors, with a backup option. Includes tests and PC download for 32-bit/64-bit systems. Technology is our business. VeryPC make computers and customise ICT solutions for education and business all over the UK. Our products and services include desktop PCs, laptops, mobile devices, 3D workstations, servers, backup and storage solutions, industrial computer appliances, audio visual equipment, customisation and managed IT support services. Short lifetimes are a driver of climate change. Perhaps the most effective way to limit the climate impact of your gadgets is by extending their life. A 2019 EU report compared the total emissions of ‘use’ and ‘non-use’ phases of their lifecycles. For notebooks, ‘non-use phases’ account for between 40% and 64% of the total Global.
Ethical Consumer expected all laptop, PC and smartphone manufacturers to have an adequate policy addressing conflict minerals regardless of whether they were bound to do so by law.
To get our best rating, these companies were required to list specific examples of how they had carried out the five steps mentioned in our feature, rather than simply referring to them.
Toxic Chemicals
| Best | Middle | Worst |
|---|---|---|
| Micropro (iameco), Apple, Huawei | Acer, Lenovo, HP, Dell, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Samsung | VeryPC, ASUS, Fujitsu, MSI, Toshiba |
Among the dozens of elements and compounds used in the production of electronic devices are numerous substances known to be toxic to human health and the natural environment.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are two substances often used in the plastic parts of electronic devices. Both substances are known to produce harmful by-products, such as highly toxic and carcinogenic dioxins, which can be released at various stages of a product’s lifecycle.
The danger becomes acute after the disposal of a device, when plastics are often burned in incinerators or by workers in informal recycling operations, releasing dioxins directly into the air.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals often used as a softener in PVC. Over time, they leak out of plastic materials into the surrounding environment and have been linked to a wide range of health problems affecting the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive systems.
In the European Union, the RoHS Directive restricts the use of toxic substances in electronics, including a number of BFRs and, as of 2019, four phthalates. However, the restrictions do not extend to all chemicals in these groups.
Ethical Consumer rates electronics companies on their level of commitment to completely phasing out PVC, BFRs and phthalates. The three PC brands that received our best rating for the use of toxic chemicals – iameco, Apple and Huawei – had committed to removing all PVC and BFRs from their entire product range. The companies that received our worst rating had either committed to reducing rather than eliminating these substances or had no public policy.
Are there any regulations on toxic chemicals?
TCO Certified is a sustainability label for IT products, which takes into account a broad range of social and environmental factors in the lifecycle of a product.
For a product to be awarded the TCO-Certified label, it must meet numerous criteria relating to both the design and manufacture including criteria on worker’s rights, conflict minerals, hazardous chemicals, user health and safety, durability, and recyclability.
Of the companies featured in these guides, Lenovo, HP, Dell and Fujitsu offered TCO-Certified PC models (including laptops, hybrids and desktop PCs).
On our score table, TCO-Certified products are awarded a Product Sustainability positive mark. To find out if a specific model has the label, we recommend using the Product Finder on the TCO Certified website.
Verypc Drivers
Just come back from the new Winchester Waitrose. Upsides are:
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Large; decent selection of food.
Looks like usual upscale Waitrose food quality.
Pleasant, well-turned out, professional staff (Sainsbury’s Winchester, I’m looking at you here).
Clean and well-presented store (once again, a glance in Sainsbury’s direction).
Downsides:
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It’s too far out of town. OK, it probably isn’t if you have a car, I admit. I’m in the minority by avoiding one for cost reasons (which might cause one to question why I choose to shop at Waitrose, so it probably works for most of their customers). But, for me, it is a trek. I’ll probably be trying out Waitrose Deliver to see if that might help.
Poor range at fresh bread counter.