By Telecom Lead Team: Sprint
announced it has updated its environmental scorecard evaluation criteria for
phones and packaging for device manufacturers and vendors to ensure continuous
improvement of sustainable design considerations across Sprint’s portfolio.
Last year, Sprint partnered with UL Environment,
a subsidiary of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), to produce the first
environmental standard, UL-ISR 110, for mobile devices across the entire
wireless industry.
Samsung Replenish from Sprint, which received Platinum
certification, was the first mobile phone to achieve UL Environment
certification to UL-ISR 110.
Starting Jan.
1, Sprint‘s environmental scorecard now requires all postpaid and prepaid
handsets go through the UL Environment certification process. The changes will
reduce the company’s overall impact on the environment and save the company
money.
The adoption of these standards aligns with Sprint’s
larger sustainability efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, use renewable
energy, create less waste, and sell greener mobile devices.
We believe adopting third-party certification, and
elevating the sustainable criteria around our packaging and reparability,
enables us to continue to push the envelope on sustainable product design and
to drive more eco-friendly product options to our customers,” said David Owens,
vice president-Product Development, Sprint.
New criteria for packaging within the standard will also
drive more sustainable solutions. These new standards are expected to
improve the material composition and structure; and minimize the use of glues,
inks, labels and plastics. There will also be an increase in recycled fiber,
post-consumer waste, and chlorine-free bleach in paper packaging materials.
Sprint
manufacturers to increase their use of modular design for devices, which will
ultimately improve both the reparability and recyclability of the device.
By using a modular design, Sprint can reduce waste and
expense, and repair the phone instead of just replacing it. It also allows for
better recyclability of all components when materials like plastics, metals and
glass can be separated easily into clean fractions.
We applaud Sprint for helping to lead the wireless phone
industry down a path of increased environmental responsibility and
sustainability. Sprint’s decision to set a goal of having UL Environment
certification for all of its mobile phones highlights their commitment to
innovation and environmental stewardship,” said Stephen Wenc, president of UL
Environment.
Sprint recently earned the
No. 3 spot on Newsweek’s 2011 Green Rankings.
