May 20, 2008 (IDG News Service) Video game consoles contain toxic chemicals that would not be allowed in young children's toys, even though technology is already available to eliminate the hazardous materials, according to a study by environmental lobbying group Greenpeace. The organization did note, however, that manufacturers are starting to eliminate some toxic chemicals from their products.
Greenpeace analyzed a PlayStation 3, a Wii and an Xbox 360 Elite for its report, "Playing Dirty," which was published today.
The consoles, all bought in Europe last November, appeared to comply with recently introduced European Union legislation on the reduction of hazardous substances (RoHS). Greenpeace found no mercury or cadmium, and only trace amounts of lead and chromium. It did note, though, that some chemicals may have slipped by its testers, since the group did not have the resources to analyze every component in the consoles.
Greenpeace did find that the consoles all contained certain toxic or undesirable chemicals. They included beryllium, which is found in circuit board contacts; PVC, which is found in electrical insulation; phthalates, which are used to soften plastics; and bromine, which is used as a fire retardant. Phthalates can have an effect on sexual development, especially in males, and some are banned from children's toys and child care devices, especially if the products can be chewed. (Game consoles are not considered toys under European legislation.) The other chemicals typically cause problems when products are disposed of: If dumped in landfills, they can pollute water supplies; if incinerated, they may release toxic particles into the atmosphere. Beryllium poses the biggest hazard to workers involved in recycling, Greenpeace said.
Amounts of the toxic chemicals varied greatly from console to console, although no console stood out as "cleaner" than any of the others, Greenpeace said. In fact, the manufacturers could learn from one another.
For example, Sony Corp. didn't use bromine in two of the circuit boards in its PS3. And Greenpeace found no trace of beryllium in the Nintendo Wii's circuitry. But those two consoles contained the highest levels of bromine overall, at 13.8% and 12.5% respectively. The Xbox, in comparison, had the lowest level of brominated materials in its plastic casing, but it was also the only console that contained a phthalate. The phthalate in the Xbox was DiNP, which is prohibited from toys and objects that children can put in their mouth.
Greenpeace published a similar study of phones, PCs and PDAs in March. It had hoped to include game consoles in that report, but Nintendo's failure to respond in time delayed publication of its analysis of the consoles.