LG Report Card

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The Talk: “The LG Electronics Recycling Program provides consumers with a free and convenient way of recycling their used, unwanted, obsolete or damaged LG consumer electronic products.”
Grade C
The Walk: LG launched its program on August 1, 2008 with the goal of providing recycling within 20 miles of 95% of all Americans.  The press release promised the recycling would be done “in an environmentally responsible manner…that protects the local environment in those communities along with the people handling this waste.”  There are a number of drop-off locations, but millions of Americans still have no convenient locations near them and there are no explicit commitments to responsible recycling, goals, disclosure of volumes or examples of advocacy on these issues.
About LG: LG Electronics is a Korean-based company that is responsible for LG, Zenith and GoldStar brands.  Because there are so many old Zenith TVs “out there” it is significant that LG is taking back these old brands.

 

Category Possible Points Points Earned Details
Scope of US takeback recycling program 38 30  
Offers free convenient national takeback recycling for their branded TVs for individual consumers 25 18 LGE has 134 drop off locations in 44 states.  LGE promises to have locations in all 50 states by the end of 2008.  Consumers have to pay the mailing expenses to use the mailback program.  While LGE has promised drop-off events, none were held or scheduled as on 11/8/08.
Offers free national takeback recycling for a larger scope of their branded products in addition to TVs 8 8 Products covered by the LG Electronics Recycling Program include LG, Zenith and GoldStar brands of televisions, monitors, audio equipment, video cassette players and recorders, DVD players and recorders, combination TV/VCR and TV/DVD units, set top boxes and accessories associated with those products.
Offers free national takeback recycling for other customers – not just individual consumers 3 2 Consumers may drop off up to 5 LG-branded items at a time.*
Offers to take products from other brands for free or a nominal charge 2 2 Other brands are accepted at drop-off facilities for a fee. Website should say how much
Provides responsible recycling 37 6
  
Signed Manufacturers Commitment to Responsible Electronics Recycling or other public commitment to not export to developing countries/use prison labor/landfill/incinerate toxic materials* 15
0
  
Publishes full recycling standards on company website 5 0  Not published
Use only E-Stewards as recyclers 5 1  Recycler is in an e-stewards review process.
Discloses recycling and refurbishing vendors on company website 5 5  LG works with Waste Management’s Recycle America company as its processor.
Discloses countries where final disposal/recycling of toxic materials occurs 7 0
  No info stated.
Volumes and visibility 15 2  
Has ambitious collection and recycling goals expressed as a percent of sales or other measures
 2 1  Goal of providing recycling within 20 miles of 95% of all Americans but no timetable
Significant volume of e-waste collected and recycled nationally and publicly reported as a percent of sales or other measure 10
 0 Program was announced on August 1, 2008, no volumes so far
Easy to find recycling information on company website 3 1 On Home Page, one click on “Highlights” section brings up recycling, but search function does not find recycling link
Public policy
 10 1 Statement of support for producer takeback recycling on website but no details and no active support
Statement of support and active work in support of producer takeback recycling legislation with performance goals for manufacturers at the state level 5 0 No statement
Statement of support and active work on federal legislation to ban the export of toxic electronic waste to developing nations 5 0  No statement
  Total Possible
Total Earned
 
TOTAL SCORE
100
39
  C

Company website: http://us.lge.com/green/

*www.wm.com/WM/takeback/LG/index.asp