Greenpeace is claiming that it has forced HP to reduce the number of toxic chemicals in its computer products.
The pressure group has built a large sculpture outside the CeBIT trade show in Hanover made of computer parts to highlight the issue of waste in IT.
Greenpeace waged a three-year campaign against HP after claiming that the company included high levels of brominated flame retardants in its PCs. It said that HP has agreed to phase out the chemicals by 2007.
"The motto for this year's CeBIT is 'digital solutions for work and life'," said Greenpeace toxics campaigner Martin Hojsík. "We want next year's motto to be 'digital solutions without pollution'."
Greenpeace has now moved HP off its IT offenders list, along with companies like Sony and Nokia.
Dell, Apple and Lenovo, however, have a less than admirable record, according to the pressure group, and remain on the list of 'bad guys'.
Last year HP offered all its European business customers a free pickup service for PC recycling, in accordance with the new WEEE directive.
"Although HP has been recycling for many years, the new free recycling service will be available for the first time throughout the entire European Union," said Kirstie McIntyre, WEEE programme manager for HP UK & Ireland.
"By offering the new one-stop service for free, HP is making it easy for businesses to use. Unlike the previous recycling programme, there are no calculations or negotiations regarding the volume and type of products being returned."
An HP spokesman told vnunet.com: "HP eliminated more than 95 per cent of the brominated flame retardants used in the external case parts of its products more than 10 years ago.
"During the same timeframe, the company also eliminated polyvinyl chloride from the external case parts of its products.
"Work continues on the identification of flame retardants to replace the remaining uses with alternatives that will not compromise product performance and will not present health or environmental risks."
All the news, views and reviews from this year's extravaganza in Hanover 10 Mar 2006
Survey finds widespread ignorance of impending EU recycling initiatives 01 Dec 2004
"The marketing is greener than the product," claim campaigners 03 Mar 2008
Smartphone still using PVC and BFRs, claims environment group 16 Oct 2007
As UK eWaste continues to poison workers in African scrap yard, critics claim over-stretched Environment Agency is failing to police illegal exporters 22 Aug 2008Tests undertaken by environmental lobby group finds iPhone contains hazardous substances already eradicated by some rival phone manufacturers 15 Oct 2007
Charity wants Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft to clean up their act 20 May 2008
MEPs vote in favour of tougher carbon emission rules, but opposition to wide-reaching programme in some member states is strengthening 07 Oct 2008
Five year scheme will fund university research into green car technologies with good prospects of commercialisation 07 Oct 2008
Renewable Fuels Agency report shows progress is being made to improve biofuel's green credentials, but many high profile firms are still uncertain whether their fuel meets sustainability standards 07 Oct 2008
More news
Philip Mossop, director of Intelligent Waste Management Solutions, explains why the waste industry needs to embrace a whole new business model if it is to help deliver the increase in recycling levels that customers are demanding 07 Oct 2008
On a visit to GE's flagship turbine manufacturing facility in Germany, Andrew Donoghue hears how the engineering giant is betting big on wind energy 06 Oct 2008
In her excoriating account of the US financial crisis, Hazel Henderson argues that only the development of new, more sustainable business and accounting models can prevent a repeat of the current turmoil 02 Oct 2008 More in-depth
Post your comment
Send an email to the Business Green editor at feedback@businessgreen.com
