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Respond to Panasonic greenwashing!
Panasonic will send you the following reply:
Panasonic, as a whole, is working hard to manufacture products that are both high quality and built in an environmentally safe way. Further information about those efforts can be found on our website.
Ongoing research is finding safe alternatives for the substances you have mentioned. At this time, however, there aren't any available that fullfil our strict safety demands that we place on our products.
Our Response:
Panasonic may be "working hard to manufacture products that are ....environmentally safe" but they are not working hard enough! Clearly, Panasonic lags
behind the leaders in this product sector, Samsung and Sony, who are way ahead
of Panasonic in commiting to phase out harmful chemicals. You may notice they didn't answer the specific questions you sent.
As you can see from our company ratings Panasonic is behind Nokia and Samsung on Mobile Phones worse than Samsung, and Sony on Computers and behind Samsung and Sony in TV's.
Please reply to Panasonic to ask why they are behind industry leaders like Samsung? If other companies can commit to remove these chemicals why cannot Panasonic match this standard?
Detailed breakdown of the Panasonic position:
Panasonic are doing a significant amount to reduce their use of chemicals of high concern. They have eliminated halogenated (brominated & chlorinated) materials from some applications. They will elimniate PVC, including in wiring, by March 2006. However they have not committed to a date by which they will phase out the use of brominated flame retardants and remain committed to "adequately controlling" some extremely hazardous chemicals rather than seeking to eliminate them. This means these substances will continue to be released into the environment as a result of Panasonic products and they do not(yet?) merit an amber rating.
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