Wii, 360, PS3 fail Greenpeace tests

[Shrygue]

via Computer and Video Games (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=189281)


The three console giants have failed a Greenpeace test after they were found to contain a number of toxic and potentially harmful materials.

The Greenpeace "Playing Dirty" report found substances such as polyvinyl chloride, phthalates, beryllium and bromine on the various bits and bobs within the consoles. If they checked the office pads they'd also find the remains of yesterday's KFC feast (on a Monday too, the shame - Ed)

You probably won't be chowing down on the microchips inside your PS3 any time soon (we'd hope), but Greenpeace called for console manufacturers to "design out" toxic substances.

Dr. Kevin Brigden, Greenpeace Science Unit, said: "Whether game consoles are classified as toys or not, they can still contain hazardous chemicals and materials that could harm humans. The technology is available for the manufacturers to design out toxics and produce greener game consoles now."

Casey Harrell, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner, added: "Our test clearly shows that a greener game console is possible; manufacturers just need to look 'inside the box' of the competition to see which of their own dirty components can be replaced with toxic free materials."

It's not so much that you'll be licking the components of your console, but more about the environmental effects when they're dumped, ending up in recycling yards in developing countries, apparently.

[splodger15]

Meh no one gives a flying s*** this is why they will never ever come into power because no one gives a damm

[The Hombrew Hunter]

I still have my Atari 2600s.

What do they mean by "dumped"?

If they want such a clean system, they should make their own.

[icecoolwas]

No one gives a damn, Greenpeace, Yeah right more like RedAnnoyance

No one cares, I dont give a .... about the enviroment so what oo i have a Wii thats made from toxic chemicals!! Boo hoo were gunna die.

Boohoo

EDIT:I'd rather not pay loads of cash for a ps3 made from dirty recycled sh**, i payed for quality not for junk.

[JKKDARK]

wow these Greenpeace people are really idiots.

[Shadowblind]

I wonder if Mr. Gore is behind this as well.

[kjetil1991]

green peace you can scream all you want. me and everbody does not care ;/

[trugamer]

This green stuff most of the time is just a way of charging more. I received a pencil sharpener made from "75% post consumer plastic"- but it was so big it hadn't really done anything to help the planet- just use up what little recycled plastic there is, and probably used more new plastic than a small pencil sharpener

[____anders____]

wow these Greenpeace people are really idiots.

i couldn't agree more;)
who gives a crap if there's toxic material in your wii?
i don't, and it probably won't die in a few years, if ever, so i'm not throwing it away yet..

[juiceface]

They are saying this because you eventually throw away your console and it hurts the enviornment beacuse when it is smashed up these toxins are released. The console is always safe in your living room.

Children typically don't care about the enviornment because they are self absorbed and selfish. Also greedy people who care only about making profit don't care about the environment either. So those opinions from said people really have no merit. However any rational thinking adult will realize that we are ****ing up the earth by all of our technologies, primarily with Co2 but when you think about it, hundreds of millions of consoles being thrown away in the future can't be good for the earth.

I for one am glad greenpeace is pointing this out. Maybe it will force the companies listed to think about using alternative materials than the toxic ones in their next generation of consoles.

Just because you get your selfish gaming fix from your beloved console doesn't mean you dont have to damn the earth in the process. Responses like "Oh i dont care! as long as I, ME ME ME get my gaming fix I could give less of a shit about the earth!, I never leave my living room anyways!" It's simply a pathetic attitude to take on the matter.

[ish420ism]

These Greenpeace and prince Phillip's (Anti human)WWF, would rather see human kids die, than disturb some funkin bat's habitat. These guys are real killers to humans and human development.

Greenspirit Strategies, the Clean and Safe Energy coalition, and the Nuclear Energy Institute are the true heroes of man of nature.

[gumgod]

um... don't they have special places to take circuit boards and electronic waste as it's called so that they can properly dispose of and recycle them? Isn't this the same as disposing of a computer, tv, mobile phones, sound systems ect? If anything they need to be pushing the consumers to recycle the broken xbox or whatever rather than pushing the companies to work with more biodegradable products.

edit:

Granted pushing from both directions couldn't hurt, but it seems a little silly to me. I think they could really help more by reducing the damn packaging that the things are shipped in. The game system is going to sit in your living room for years in most cases, were as the packages are getting thrown away the instant you get them home.

[mike_jmg]

I couldn't care less
even a simple plastic bag is bad for the envirorment, cause it wont degrade until hundreds of years have passed

so, meh!!, the world is going to end someday anyway and even if we manage to not kill ourselves, the sun will eventually fade out and all life on earth will die

[idapimp]

wtf. you arent supposed to dump them. consoles are computers. computers contain the same crap. you arent supposed to "dump" a computer either. you are supposed to take them to a place that disposes of computers. much of the computer is recycled and the rest (hazardous) is disposed of properly. i assume you can do the same with a console.

[Shadowblind]

They are saying this because you eventually throw away your console



Mm, not really. I still have every console I've had, including my Genesis and Atari.

[Uruz 6]

They are saying this because you eventually throw away your console and it hurts the enviornment beacuse when it is smashed up these toxins are released. The console is always safe in your living room.

I still keep my old little nintendo :) and I don't plan to "smash it up" anytime soon - it's not like we'll burn our consoles when we're done with 'em you know? we'll just dispose of 'em normally (some may even think about recycling the materials!) so don't treat everyone like kids.


Children typically don't care about the enviornment because they are self absorbed and selfish. Also greedy people who care only about making profit don't care about the environment either. So those opinions from said people really have no merit.

You expect children to have an active role in society? hell we could send 'em to work in the mines!
(more on businessman in the next one :) )

Anyway their opinions don't "count" because they're different from yours? that's it? so.. what about mine? I'm neither a kid or an ungry businessman and yet here I am saying I don't care - do I count?


However any rational thinking adult will realize that we are ****ing up the earth by all of our technologies, primarily with Co2 but when you think about it, hundreds of millions of consoles being thrown away in the future can't be good for the earth.
I for one am glad greenpeace is pointing this out. Maybe it will force the companies listed to think about using alternative materials than the toxic ones in their next generation of consoles..

Aren't businessmen rational adults?

Anyway when you talk about "green consoles" I hear "pricy consoles"... that's how it'll end up if they take this seriously - by the way I don't care if there's uranium in my 360, as long as it works.


Just because you get your selfish gaming fix from your beloved console doesn't mean you dont have to damn the earth in the process. Responses like "Oh i dont care! as long as I, ME ME ME get my gaming fix I could give less of a shit about the earth!, I never leave my living room anyways!" It's simply a pathetic attitude to take on the matter.

And what's wrong with thinking ME ME ME all the time? I don't know how it works there in la-la-land but if I don't think about ME nobody else will (I mean it, and I'm sure it's the same for many others out there) - got my hands full already like this, so don't give me this "think about the earth" s**t - I feel like throwing up every time I hear this.

[____anders____]

i still have my NES and atari 2600, i will NEVER throw them away:)

i bet the NES and the Atari 2600 isn't made of "green" materials, probably more hazardous than any of the current consoles, but i will never throw any of my consoles away, i'm too cheap for that, i will probably try to fix them if any of them will break..:D

[devdj]

i still have my NES and atari 2600, i will NEVER throw them away:)

i bet the NES and the Atari 2600 isn't made of "green" materials, probably more hazardous than any of the current consoles, but i will never throw any of my consoles away, i'm too cheap for that, i will probably try to fix them if any of them will break..:D

they used real lead solder not cheap ass crap for that shitty x-bollox 360 which crashed and burned in less then two months of purchase

[icecoolwas]

Boohoo, Were going to die. Live with it the worlds gunna end one day, stop being so stereotypical, I dont care about the enviroment, i dont give a you know what, i aint selfish, i just dont give a crap umm k? i dont give a crap about the future generation people they can work this crap themselfs i aint taking the matter on my hand i wanna live a gd life i aint gunna do some next level s--t and worry about the enviroment, boohoo. i do realise we are f----ng up the earth, but i aint give a crap!! boohoo what u gunna do stop me? hah yeah right. oh and no its not a pathetic attitude u cant get ur own way, ( i know i cant, but i can make it easier.. just screw the enviroment!) u cant make every single person on the world to love the enviroment can you? yeah exactly so be quiet and stop wasting time.
Boohoo



Children typically don't care about the enviornment because they are self absorbed and selfish. Also greedy people who care only about making profit don't care about the environment either. So those opinions from said people really have no merit. However any rational thinking adult will realize that we are ****ing up the earth by all of our technologies, primarily with Co2 but when you think about it, hundreds of millions of consoles being thrown away in the future can't be good for the earth.

I for one am glad greenpeace is pointing this out. Maybe it will force the companies listed to think about using alternative materials than the toxic ones in their next generation of consoles.

Just because you get your selfish gaming fix from your beloved console doesn't mean you dont have to damn the earth in the process. Responses like "Oh i dont care! as long as I, ME ME ME get my gaming fix I could give less of a shit about the earth!, I never leave my living room anyways!" It's simply a pathetic attitude to take on the matter.

[Veskgar]

It sucks to see all the negative and careless comments regarding the environment here. It is a tiny sign of why yes, the Earth is almost certainly doomed if we humans don't come together and try to do something about it.

The best thing for the environment though is for humans to stop having so many damn babies. I know in the US there was a study showing that just 1 baby generates a ridiculous amount of waste in 1 years time.

The world is over-populated. I don't suggest that all people stop having kids, but when I see a lot of single mothers running around with like 6 or 7 kids..... there is a SERIOUS problem there. Focus on problems like that and not what's in my video game console.

I would like to tell everyone who reads this that they should worry at least a little about their environment and take steps to ensure it stays clean and safe.

[Shadowblind]

The best thing for the environment though is for humans to stop having so many damn babies. I know in the US there was a study showing that just 1 baby generates a ridiculous amount of waste in 1 years time.


They already do in, China. Its called communist's mass-murdering children, in both abortion and in slaughter.

[BastarB]

I think we have to worry about many things in this world INCLUDING consoles which contain a big amount of E-waste. I am getting really angry about people who say they does not care:mad:
Are you folks stupid or what? Emotionally it's no doubt about that:mad:!
I can tell you that almost all of our E-waste in the rich countries is being shipped to the the poor underdeveloped countries, and it destroys their enviroments, their people, nature and animals.
And you people does not care? in that case you lack compassion for all that lives in this world. And you also lack compassion for future generations. Could people please begin to think bigger, then you will see how many enviromental problems there is in this world. It's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many problems, one of those problems is that all frogs are about to die, mainly because of E-waste. Frogs got very thin skin and they absorb toxic substances very easy. scientist talks about the biggest extermination of an animal family since the extermination of the dinosaurs...and yet...you selfish people does not care about it?!!? Who are you? I don't think you've read alot about enviromental problems, BUT I HAVE, and I know that the situation on this planet is way more serious than you people may think.

This planet is the only place we can live on, it's our home, and we have to take care about it right?

Have a nice day everybody!

Check this link:
http://www.ban.org/E-waste/technotrashfinalcomp.pdf

[Shadowblind]

I think we have to worry about many things in this world INCLUDING consoles which contain a big amount of E-waste. I am getting really angry about people who say they does not care:mad:
Are you folks stupid or what? Emotionally it's no doubt about that:mad:!
I can tell you that almost all of our E-waste in the rich countries is being shipped to the the poor underdeveloped countries, and it destroys their enviroments, their people, nature and animals.
And you people does not care? in that case you lack compassion for all that lives in this world. And you also lack compassion for future generations. Could people please begin to think bigger, then you will see how many enviromental problems there is in this world. It's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many problems, one of those problems is that all frogs are about to die, mainly because of E-waste. Frogs got very thin skin and they absorb toxic substances very easy. scientist talks about the biggest extermination of an animal family since the extermination of the dinosaurs...and yet...you selfish people does not care about it?!!? Who are you? I don't think you've read alot about enviromental problems, BUT I HAVE, and I know that the situation on this planet is way more serious than you people may think.

This planet is the only place we can live on, it's our home, and we have to take care about it right?

Have a nice day everybody!

Check this link:
http://www.ban.org/E-waste/technotrashfinalcomp.pdf
I don't think its that people don't care, its just that they know that half of this crap is pure BS built by a media to direct immediate attention away from other far more important and immediate matters such as war, starvation, genocide, and many other things governments would rather they're people think about.

I believe saving the humans comes before the polar bears.

[Pilot_51]

Is it just me or do most Europeans not care about the environment while most Americans care?

From the sound of it, the amount of toxic materials in the current-gen consoles is too small to cause any price increase for the consumer with safer materials. Also environmentally friendly doesn't always mean more expensive, in many cases it's actually cheaper, by lowering the electricity bill for example.

If you haven't guessed, I care about the environment. Not enough to shut down my computers at night, but I still care.
When I get around to buying my first car, I want it to be all-electric, kinda like the Tesla Roadster but I'll probably get the cheaper WhiteStar or BlueStar models. The Roadster (and perhaps the other models too) is apparently faster in regard to acceleration than any consumer gas-powered sports car, at 0-60MPH (0-97km/h) in 4 seconds, so it's a win-win situation unless you actually want to destroy the environment.

[Uruz 6]

I think we have to worry about many things in this world INCLUDING consoles which contain a big amount of E-waste. I am getting really angry about people who say they does not care:mad:
Are you folks stupid or what? Emotionally it's no doubt about that:mad:!
I can tell you that almost all of our E-waste in the rich countries is being shipped to the the poor underdeveloped countries, and it destroys their enviroments, their people, nature and animals.
And you people does not care? in that case you lack compassion for all that lives in this world. And you also lack compassion for future generations. Could people please begin to think bigger, then you will see how many enviromental problems there is in this world. It's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many problems, one of those problems is that all frogs are about to die, mainly because of E-waste. Frogs got very thin skin and they absorb toxic substances very easy. scientist talks about the biggest extermination of an animal family since the extermination of the dinosaurs...and yet...you selfish people does not care about it?!!? Who are you? I don't think you've read alot about enviromental problems, BUT I HAVE, and I know that the situation on this planet is way more serious than you people may think.

This planet is the only place we can live on, it's our home, and we have to take care about it right?

Have a nice day everybody!

Check this link:
http://www.ban.org/E-waste/technotrashfinalcomp.pdf

Want to think like that? no problem, but don't go 'round calling people stupid just because thay don't agree.
Anyway if you're so fired up why not start with nuclear power plants? cars? heavy industries? my 360 won't "harm" the planet for a while you know?

[BastarB]

Want to think like that? no problem, but don't go 'round calling people stupid just because thay don't agree.
Anyway if you're so fired up why not start with nuclear power plants? cars? heavy industries? my 360 won't "harm" the planet for a while you know?

Okej Uruz 6 I confess I should not have done that, I went to far. Sorry for that:(,
but I still think people tend to think too short into the future.
But of course you should enjoy your Xbox 360, enjoy it:)
The main responsibility does not belong to the consumer, it belongs to the manufactuers. They got the power to change things in their electronical components. And I think it's their responsibility to recycle all their waste they bring to his planet, but that will be easier to achieve if all the consumers care about it so we can get pressure on the manufacturers do develop better products. That's a big reason why I think people should care a little more.



I don't think its that people don't care, its just that they know that half of this crap is pure BS built by a media to direct immediate attention away from other far more important and immediate matters such as war, starvation, genocide, and many other things governments would rather they're people think about.

I believe saving the humans comes before the polar bears.

I agree with you that war is very very serious, and starvation too, you got a point there, If we can deal with such problems it may be easier to help the enviroment in the long run. But I still think it's important for us who belong to peaceful countries to think about what we individually can to to make this planet a better home, it's good to start early.
Most of the starvation in the world is however a result of imperialism made by the rich countries in the past, and it's still the rich countries responsibility to help those countries to prevent war and other kinds of conflicts like civil war.
It may be, that media want to point peoples attention to another direction when they talk alot about the enviromental destruction, and of course they trying hard get the stuff look bigger than it is, all for the money:( But the situation however, is not so bright that many people seems to think about it!





Is it just me or do most Europeans not care about the environment while most Americans care?

From the sound of it, the amount of toxic materials in the current-gen consoles is too small to cause any price increase for the consumer with safer materials. Also environmentally friendly doesn't always mean more expensive, in many cases it's actually cheaper, by lowering the electricity bill for example.

If you haven't guessed, I care about the environment. Not enough to shut down my computers at night, but I still care.
When I get around to buying my first car, I want it to be all-electric, kinda like the Tesla Roadster but I'll probably get the cheaper WhiteStar or BlueStar models. The Roadster (and perhaps the other models too) is apparently faster in regard to acceleration than any consumer gas-powered sports car, at 0-60MPH (0-97km/h) in 4 seconds, so it's a win-win situation unless you actually want to destroy the environment.

Good to see that you care about the enviroment Pilot 51:thumbup: Keep it up dude^^
I think your post is very interesting, since I got the opposite feeling that it is the americans who care less about the enviroment, not the Europeans.
Are you from america? I'm from Europe, Sweden.
If you are from america, we could maybe blame media for this. Maybe the media on both sides of the atlantic sea work to blame the outside world more about the enviromental influence instead of blaming themselves, in that case it would not be so strange if people in america think the Europeans are the bad guys an vice versa.

Have a nice day every one

AND SORRY FOR MY BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD ENGLISH, Hope you understand, i'm sooo tired:o

[armyStrong]

Our world is doomed!
DOOOOOOOOOOMED!

...someone had to say it...

Be the change you want to see.

The manufacturers of consoles use cheaper (and less environmentally-friendly) components because in the long run, a less-expensive product is constructed allowing a larger range of people to purchase it.

If you want the companies to stop producing them, don't buy the consoles. If you do buy them, dispose of them properly, or not at all.

In truth, changes like this take forever because everyone loves to preach, but deep down, no one really cares.

[Pilot_51]

I think your post is very interesting, since I got the opposite feeling that it is the americans who care less about the enviroment, not the Europeans.
Are you from america? I'm from Europe, Sweden.
If you are from america, we could maybe blame media for this. Maybe the media on both sides of the atlantic sea work to blame the outside world more about the enviromental influence instead of blaming themselves, in that case it would not be so strange if people in america think the Europeans are the bad guys an vice versa.Yup, I'm from the states. I thought my location was showing in my profile stats on the left, but apparently that wasn't the case so I just added the info.

I don't watch much TV and most of the news I hear is from podcasts or discussions with family/friends, both of which have better opinions than the corrupt media.
The way I came to the thought that Europeans were less environmentally friendly than Americans was because most of the posters showing from Europe seem to be talking against the environment while just about everyone showing from North America seems to be talking for the environment. Since this is a European-based site, I assume the ratio is about the same for people not showing their location and their opinions seem to stick to that ratio, supporting my thought. Anyway enough of that.

In most cases, I say screw the media and the governments. They don't deserve the right to speak for the common people.

[BastarB]

Yup, I'm from the states. I thought my location was showing in my profile stats on the left, but apparently that wasn't the case so I just added the info.

I don't watch much TV and most of the news I hear is from podcasts or discussions with family/friends, both of which have better opinions than the corrupt media.
The way I came to the thought that Europeans were less environmentally friendly than Americans was because most of the posters showing from Europe seem to be talking against the environment while just about everyone showing from North America seems to be talking for the environment. Since this is a European-based site, I assume the ratio is about the same for people not showing their location and their opinions seem to stick to that ratio, supporting my thought. Anyway enough of that.

In most cases, I say screw the media and the governments. They don't deserve the right to speak for the common people.

Yeah I agree, screw the goverments, it's so poor that USA doesn't accept the Kyoto Protocol, but that's not the peoples fault, it's the goverment!
I have not seen any signs that the European people would talk against the enviroment, however, it may differ in different countries of Europe, here in the northern part of Europe, in Sweden, we often talk about the climate change of the world with each other, since it affects our climate in such negative way. But the current goverment here in sweden really sucks when it comes to enviromental thinking:( The people however seems to care more. I'll hope we get a better goverment in the next election. The companies has begun to be more climatefriendly since it attracts more customers. There's also a very interesting swedish documentary called "the planet" http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=59430&lid=puff_941543&lpos=lasMer
I highly recommend it, my friend knows the author of this documentary. He has been interviewing experts all around the world for the making of this. And the author is indeed a common person who lives in a small town called Bollnäs. Enough of that.

Have a nice day!

[____anders____]

they used real lead solder not cheap ass crap for that shitty x-bollox 360 which crashed and burned in less then two months of purchase

ok, but i still don't give a damn:p:D

that's the bad thing about the 360, the RRoD..
that's the reason i'm gonna buy an iphone next week instead of the 360, i was going buy the halo 3 limited edition 360, but they removed it, so i'm buying an iphone instead:)

[Shadowblind]

ok, but i still don't give a damn:p:D

that's the bad thing about the 360, the RRoD..
that's the reason i'm gonna buy an iphone next week instead of the 360, i was going buy the halo 3 limited edition 360, but they removed it, so i'm buying an iphone instead:)

Good. If you were to get a 360 for Halo 3 alone you mind as well not get it. If not then I can safely say your making a stupid choice.

PS the soldering on the xbox is the same as everything else.

[____anders____]

yeah i know, but i want halo 3, GTA IV and Unreal Tournament 3, and some more..:):D
i heard the newer X360's have a new motherboard that reduces the RRoD problem significally, but i want an Iphone instead:)

[icecoolwas]

Just to see people get angry, I'm going to do more things that make the world worse.

Have big massive barbeque's and fires in my backgarden when im bored.

Instead of bus'ing it to school, from now on im going to make my brother drop me off in his car.

Im going to waste eletricity, leave all my lights, tv, any eltronical equiptment on 24/7. (I have good ventilation, no overheating, ops those fans take eletricity too).

and anything else i can think off.

[juiceface]

I'm glad my comment brought out the straw men and selfish replies :)

flame on!

[trugamer]

Actually your post just highlighted everyone's mistrust of an organisation like Greenpeace. In sceince we're now taught how to trust sources, scientific accuracy etc. and its immediatley obvious what Greenpeace has done wrong- they haven't actually proven the wider effect of the materials in consoles- the impact could be on a massive scale, or very minimal.

I'm all for the protecting environment- I will cut back on my CO2 emmissions to help fight global warming- only because it can't hurt, but I don't think there is (yet) enough evidence to say it is caused by humans, but to say it definetly isn't is still stupid. Just because a group like Greenpeace says the word "envrionment" I shouldn't immediately agree with them.