By Enterprise Innovation Staff | May 28, 2008

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Greenpeace has rapped the big three games console-makers for what it says is "widespread" use of hazardous materials.

Recent tests of the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation3 and Nintendo's Wii found that despite recent advances, "many devices still contain a variety of hazardous substances," Greenpeace International said.

These included brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and chlorinated plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC).  BFRs give off toxic gases when incinerated at high temperature, while PVCs often include phthalates, some of which can retard human sexual development and are banned from toys in the EU.

Greenpeace said Microsoft had made a commitment to eliminate the use of PVC and BFRs in its hardware by 2010, while Sony planned to phase out PVC and some uses of BFRs by 2010, but only for mobile products and the PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Nintendo recently promised to eliminate PVC in its products, "but failed to give a timeline for doing so," the Greenpeace study said.

Greenpeace said that while the consoles were used for playing games, the rules on materials used in making toys in the EU did not apply to them.

If they were re-classified as toys, "existing EU legislation... would mean that these game consoles simply couldn't be sold at all in the EU market!"

"The technology is already available for manufacturers to design out harmful toxics and produce cleaner game consoles now. It's time that not only Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft but all electronics manufacturers start to play fair," Greenpeace said in a statement.