Greenpeace chides HP, Apple for PC's toxic substances

19.09.2006
After inspecting models from five major laptop manufacturers, those by Hewlett Packard (HP) and Apple registered the highest levels of certain hazardous substances, according to environmental group Greenpeace.

Aside from those by HP and Apple, Greenpeace said in a statement said it tested purchased laptop models from Acer, Dell and Sony. The test was conducted by an independent Danish laboratory, which checked the presence of hazardous substances in a variety of internal and external components.

According to a Greenpeace study, the lab findings on HP's laptop registered high levels of Polybrominated Diphenylethers (PBDE is a class of Brominated flame retardants or BFRs), including decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) in the fan. Lead was also found in the soldering.