Greenpeace: Good 'green' grades for Apple, Nokia

(AFP/ROBYN BECK)

Environmental group Greenpeace is handing out grades to consumer electronics makers for phasing out the use of hazardous substances and Apple, Sony Ericsson and Nokia are top of the class.

Greenpeace released an update Thursday to its "Guide to Greener Electronics" at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), an annual event bringing together leading manufacturers from around the world.

At a press conference, Casey Harrell, a Greenpeace spokesman, said that overall "it's time for a little less conversation and a lot more action on removing toxic chemicals."

"We don't want companies to put out a couple of Cadillac green products, we want the change to be across the range of their products," Harrell said.

The spokesman said companies need to support legislative bans to phase out the use of PVC plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) across all electronic products.

Greenpeace noted that Sony Ericsson and Apple have called on European Union institutions to support such a ban but other big companies including Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Acer have not done so.

In the updated "Greener Electronics" guide, Apple, Sony Ericsson and Nokia ranked high for product ranges free of the worst hazardous substances.

Greenpeace said Samsung, Dell, Lenovo and LG Electronics picked up "penalty points" however for failing to follow through on a promised phase-out of toxic chemicals in their products.

A number of companies are attempting to tout their green credentials at the trade show here.

Among the products unveiled Thursday was a mini notebook computer from Sony, the Vaio W Series, with a chassis made of plastic consisting of about 20 percent recycled compact disks and a "reusable" carrying case made from recycled plastic bottles.