Environmental activist group Greenpeace released a video today to emphasize the need for greener manufacturing of today's game consoles. The three console manufacturers were found guilty of using various hazardous chemicals and materials, such aspolyvinyl chloride (PVC), phthalates, beryllium and bromine indicative ofbrominated flame retardants (BFRs).
According to Greenpeace, "e-waste" is the fastest growing type of waste in the world, and game consoles contribute a significant portion to this problem. The organization emphasized that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 contain high levels of phthalates, one of which "is known to interfere with sexual development in mammals: including humans and, especially, males." Yikes!
Things can get better, of course. PS3 uses "bromine-free" circuit boards. However, there are many steps for the console manufacturers to take before they can be classified as "green."
Reader Comments (96)
Posted: May 20th 2008 3:51PM dbvii said
Great, now people will say that video games even keep animals from getting laid...
Posted: May 20th 2008 5:22PM (Unverified) said
Its only bad for the enviorment once it is thrown out sony gives specific instructions of throwing out its equipment and how to dispose of it. Either way the ps3 is probably the least polutant as I doubt anyone has thrown away their ps3 unless they're retarded. What Green peace should be doing is making a video how to dispose of electronic equipment or something so that it doesn't harm the enviorment. Duh.
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Posted: May 20th 2008 5:38PM dbvii said
And what the hell does any of that have to do with my lame joke? Or are you one of those people who thinks your opinion on the matter is greater than everyone else's, so you reply to the first comment so that your comment gets more views? Total douche move...
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Posted: May 20th 2008 6:03PM (Unverified) said
Hopefully Sony provides the disposing service themselves and hopefully they do it right. I've read articles about electronics disposal and most of it ends up in third world countries where people (including a lot of children) are burning them in piles to melt out the metals from soldering and wires. Of course this is releasing all those toxic materials which is getting into the air and drinking water. There was one image of an Indian guy melting down lead in the wok that his family cooks their meals in. And we've got our panties in a wad here about trace amounts of lead in toys from China.
And I totally agree, Greenpeace should be doing something more positive and productive than just pointing fingers and try to educate the public on how to dispose of their electronics properly.
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And I totally agree, Greenpeace should be doing something more positive and productive than just pointing fingers and try to educate the public on how to dispose of their electronics properly.
Posted: May 20th 2008 6:18PM (Unverified) said
Will they?
I was hoping people would just say "Greenpeace have far too much time on their hands..."
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I was hoping people would just say "Greenpeace have far too much time on their hands..."
Posted: May 20th 2008 7:26PM (Unverified) said
hey wait a minute, I'M the total douche who replies to the first comment to validate my existance.
GET YOUR OWN SCHTICK.
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GET YOUR OWN SCHTICK.
Posted: May 21st 2008 1:10AM (Unverified) said
@Jason: Sony already provides a recycling program for post-consumer electronics. The program is called "Sony Take Back" and is done in cooperation with Waste Management, Inc.
Visit http://www.wm.com/WM/sony/index.asp for more information.
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Visit http://www.wm.com/WM/sony/index.asp for more information.
Posted: May 21st 2008 10:09AM (Unverified) said
In fact a Green peace report stated that the PS3 was the greenest and the Wii was the worst for the environment.
But if you go sucking on the internal parts of your game console you deserve to have your balls fall off.
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But if you go sucking on the internal parts of your game console you deserve to have your balls fall off.
Posted: May 21st 2008 3:01PM (Unverified) said
Dude i was saying its only bad for the enviorment/animals once its thrown out to throw a big fit over it geeze. If I said Animals instead of enviorment would that be better? I guess my wording didn't make it relavent to YOU? fine replace any time i say enviorment with animals. That make you feel better?
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Posted: May 20th 2008 3:54PM (Unverified) said
Great. Now the PS4 will cost $1,000
Posted: May 20th 2008 10:40PM Twinturbo120 said
wow who really gives a crap about this? NO ONE
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:01PM (Unverified) said
boys you heard it ,dont eat those yummy dualshock 3 and SPU's !
Posted: May 21st 2008 12:10PM (Unverified) said
i think that the PS3 is 'greener' than the others console.
Could be a selling point ? :p
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Could be a selling point ? :p
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:04PM adolson said
Any GOOD news about the PS3 today? Anything? No? I'll come back tomorrow.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:33PM Meximanly said
Maybe the point is to alert PS3 owners about ANY information about the PS3, regardless of whether the news is "good" or "bad." This may be a supposedly biased site, but at least it has info from both sides of the spectrum rather than only posting about the good news about the PS3. Would you prefer that they manipulate you into thinking that everything is perfect with the PS3 and that there is absolutely nothing wrong? Ignorance is a major problem with the world; you don't want to be told the bad news so that you can go about your lives happy and content, and ignorrant and stupid. Ever read Fahrenheit 451?
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Posted: May 20th 2008 5:04PM (Unverified) said
Articles like these just underline their superiority over XB360F.
Though I admit we need a bit more good news. I watched the GDC2007 Home walkthrough video again, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Please don't burst my bubble? :C
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Though I admit we need a bit more good news. I watched the GDC2007 Home walkthrough video again, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Please don't burst my bubble? :C
Posted: May 20th 2008 6:53PM (Unverified) said
Yeah this is getting just kind of sad. It's been a bad drought since GTA came out. I would just about kill for some God of War 3 news...
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Posted: May 20th 2008 4:05PM xeleion said
Way to drive up the console prices of the next generation, Greenpeace. :(
Posted: May 20th 2008 6:32PM (Unverified) said
i'm hoping your not being serious. XD
Firstly; How could the next gen be any more expensive than the PS3 launch price?
Secondly; Paying a little extra would be worth it if it means not filling the world with unnecessary pollutants.
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Firstly; How could the next gen be any more expensive than the PS3 launch price?
Secondly; Paying a little extra would be worth it if it means not filling the world with unnecessary pollutants.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:09PM (Unverified) said
i say: damn those hippies >_
Posted: May 21st 2008 12:01PM (Unverified) said
My thoughts exactly. Damn them there hippies ta hellz.
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Posted: May 20th 2008 4:12PM (Unverified) said
Imagine that! Another negative article about the PS3 on what is supposed to be a pro-PS3 site. And before you go saying stuff like, "This site is supposed to report ANYTHING about the PS3, positive or not!", go to the Xbox360 fanboy page. Anyone see a report about their system containing hazarous chemicals? Nope!
This site is starting to really piss me off...
This site is starting to really piss me off...
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:20PM (Unverified) said
Maybe they haven't commented on Greenpeace's BS report, but 360fanboy had articles about bad camera issues in NG2 and Splinter Cell being scrapped and pushed out to 2009/2010 today. Bad news is not limited to this site.
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Posted: May 20th 2008 4:20PM Jason B said
I like being well informed. If people like to keep their head in the sand then so be it, but if a site that considers itself a news site doesn't post that their console may be hazardous to our selves or the environment then they are really doing their readers a diservice.
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Posted: May 20th 2008 5:00PM Clash Gordon said
If love these vague ass findings about how things are hazardous to us. I doesn't even mention how high these levels are, how close/far away you have to be, how long it will take, etc. If you going to make a statement like this, back it up with numbers.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:13PM (Unverified) said
Good to know I'm not the only one who thinks this way.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:18PM (Unverified) said
Seriously, some of you commenters are idiots. PS3 Fanboy is a blog about the playstation 3, reporting all PS3 related news. It's not part of Sony and therefore isn't obliged to only report Pro-Sony news, if you want that go to blog.us.playstation.com. I personally want to know all news regarding the PS3, I don't want the news filtered before I view it; that's what Fox and The Daily Mail are for ;-).
And to Dirtbag, "And before you go saying stuff like, "This site is supposed to report ANYTHING about the PS3, positive or not!", go to the Xbox360 fanboy page." Why would I go to the 360 fanboy page? I have a PS3, not a 360.
And to Dirtbag, "And before you go saying stuff like, "This site is supposed to report ANYTHING about the PS3, positive or not!", go to the Xbox360 fanboy page." Why would I go to the 360 fanboy page? I have a PS3, not a 360.
Posted: May 20th 2008 5:00PM (Unverified) said
Well said. I tried to comment but the damn confirmation email never came through! I couldn't have said it any better.
For the record, 360fanboy today reported camera problems with NG2 and Splinter Cell being scrapped and pushed back to 2009/2010. Bad news is not exclusive to this site.
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For the record, 360fanboy today reported camera problems with NG2 and Splinter Cell being scrapped and pushed back to 2009/2010. Bad news is not exclusive to this site.
Posted: May 20th 2008 5:00PM (Unverified) said
top.slacker,
I went to the 360 page to get a comparison. It just seems like they report mostly favorable stories for their readers as opposed to this site which is leaning more and more towards the negative side of the spectrum. Like I've said before, I go to many different sites and it seems like every one of them is pro-360, anti-PS3. This is the LAST place I want to go to read negative news about the PS3.
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I went to the 360 page to get a comparison. It just seems like they report mostly favorable stories for their readers as opposed to this site which is leaning more and more towards the negative side of the spectrum. Like I've said before, I go to many different sites and it seems like every one of them is pro-360, anti-PS3. This is the LAST place I want to go to read negative news about the PS3.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:27PM (Unverified) said
About the E-waste thing. I haven't thrown away a single console....ever. I usually sell them or hand them down to friends. My old Nintendo 64, PS1 and PS2 are still going strong.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:49PM (Unverified) said
I agree, it's not E-waste until it hits the landfill.
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Posted: May 20th 2008 4:24PM (Unverified) said
I guarantee there are way more Xbox360's in the landfill than PS3's. Microsoft is destroying the environment!
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:55PM (Unverified) said
what are you talking about?!!
i didnt have to turn my furnace on once this winter...
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i didnt have to turn my furnace on once this winter...
Posted: May 20th 2008 9:48PM (Unverified) said
Since when electronics get thrown into landfills? electronics are too harmful to be put into land, STUPID ASS!
But I'm guessing that you've never heard of recycling,right?
Do some research before you post a comment like this again.
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But I'm guessing that you've never heard of recycling,right?
Do some research before you post a comment like this again.
Posted: May 20th 2008 11:33PM (Unverified) said
Hala is mad because my comment WiNz teh InTeRnEtZ and his comment and his xbox both FAIL. Haha!
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Posted: May 21st 2008 1:09AM (Unverified) said
When did I say xbox or that I own an xbox in my comment?
My comment was for electronics in general.
Once again you fail at trying to be a fanboy.
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My comment was for electronics in general.
Once again you fail at trying to be a fanboy.
Posted: May 21st 2008 3:06AM (Unverified) said
...and once again you succeed being a total douche. Congrats!
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Posted: May 20th 2008 5:00PM (Unverified) said
"Sony’s PlayStation 3 Elite." wtf? go to their website in bold and it says that...retards.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:32PM djpenny said
sh!t i should not try 2 eat my ps3 again
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:34PM reson8er said
I don't think news like this is bad, its all how you take it. Its just news after all, nothing more, nothing less.
I would like to see some more game-centric stuff though lol. Must be a slow news day.
I would like to see some more game-centric stuff though lol. Must be a slow news day.
Posted: May 20th 2008 5:15PM Andrew Yoon said
Yeah, it's a slow news day. Also, we just report the news. We can't just make up good news. If we were to just constantly make fake rumors, we'd be OTHER competing PS sites. Those of you that think we're anti-PS3 are free to visit those instead. But here, we'll just keep on reporting the news.
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Posted: May 20th 2008 4:38PM (Unverified) said
they can complain all they want they cant take it back, they void there warrenty by opening it up.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:42PM (Unverified) said
If your dumb enough to eat it then you should learn the consequences of being an idiot. If someone was that stupid then it would be a GOOD thing if they where sterile.
Posted: May 20th 2008 5:16PM themisanthrope said
e waste blahblah bullls***. Anyone remember the 'toxic dust' scare with computers and monitors.. that those too would prevent sexual reproduction etc etc.
Kay, I'm going to play ps3 right now, only this time I'm going make sure I sit on it. That way I am recycling the heat it exhausts on 45 degree nights.. and I'll also make sure to use it as a dust catcher to help my air stay clean (we all know that sleek finish is a dust collector) and when I'm done with that.. I'll be sure to reuse by playing all of my games over and over and over.
eff off green hippie b*stards. Cellphones cause brain cancer. Go bother T-Mobile, ATT, and Sprint for eating our brains.
Kay, I'm going to play ps3 right now, only this time I'm going make sure I sit on it. That way I am recycling the heat it exhausts on 45 degree nights.. and I'll also make sure to use it as a dust catcher to help my air stay clean (we all know that sleek finish is a dust collector) and when I'm done with that.. I'll be sure to reuse by playing all of my games over and over and over.
eff off green hippie b*stards. Cellphones cause brain cancer. Go bother T-Mobile, ATT, and Sprint for eating our brains.
Posted: May 20th 2008 4:52PM (Unverified) said
Thank you! I was going to post somthing just like this. I agree 100%. Go hug the trees more hippies!
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