Greenpeace is demanding that Dell detail a phase out plan for the end of its use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) by the company's new 2011 deadline. (2) The protest follows similar demonstrations against Dell at its offices in Bangalore, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. (3) Dell had previously committed to phasing out toxic chemicals by 2009, but then pushed back its goal to the end of 2011.
Greenpeace is also running TV spots in Austin on several channels, including MTV and ESPN, that explain Dell's backtracking. The spot asks Austin residents to call CEO Michael Dell and tell him to honor his company's word to phase out toxic chemicals. The spot is available for download at http://www.blip.tv/ file/3654672.
"Dell continues to sell products that are littered with toxic chemicals, despite promises made years ago to phase them out," said Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner Casey Harrell. "Dell can't fulfill its aim to be the greenest technology company on the planet until it follows the lead of Apple, HP and Indian brands HCL and Wipro, which are phasing out the use of these toxic chemicals"
Apple's and most of HP's new computer lines are free of PVC and BFRs, (4) demonstrating the technical feasibility and supply chain readiness of producing alternatives to these hazardous substances. Dell currently stands in 10th place in the quarterly Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics out today, having been penalized in the previous ranking for its backtracking on PVC/BFR phase out. The company sits behind both Apple and HP.
"The release of PVC/BFR free products shows that mainstream consumer electronics can be free from these hazardous substances without sacrificing performance," Harrell said. "As a major brand in the electronics sector, Dell has both the responsibility and the ability to make sure the company is a leader on producing safe products."
The biggest climbers in this edition of the Guide are Panasonic in sixth up from 10th, , HP up from 11th to eighth, and Sharp from 13th to ninth. LGE falls from sixth to 12th position, losing points on its reporting on the energy efficiency of its products. Greenpeace has disregarded the company's reporting of its latest Energy Star standards, as LGE was caught twice manipulating these efficiency standards. (5)
The Guide's top five ranked companies are Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Philips, Motorola and Apple, while the bottom five ranked companies are, in descending order: Toshiba, Fujitsu, Microsoft, Lenovo, and Nintendo.
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VVPR info: Contacts: Daniel Kessler,Greenpeace Press Officer, on site in Austin +1 510 501 1779; 
; Casey Harrell, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner on site in Austin Mobile: +1 415 307 3382, 
Notes: 1. The 15th edition of the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics is available at http:// www.greenpeace.org/rankingguide 2. PVC and BFRs are highly toxic, and can release dioxin, a known carcinogen, when burned. With the growing tsunami of electronic waste being shipped to developing countries for open burning, workers who deal with e-waste are at the most significant risk for health impacts. Eliminating these substances will decrease exposure to workers and consumers and will increase the recyclability and reusability of electronic products. 3. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/dell-breaking-promise-290310 4. All of Apple’s and most of HP’s computer products are free of PVC and BFR. The following HP lines are free of these key toxic chemicals: Elite Book 8540w, 8740w, 2540p, 2740p, 8440p/w, 8540 p/w, ProBooks 4320, 4420, 4520, 4720, TouchSmart tm2, Compaq 8000f Elite Ultra Slim desktop, Compaq LE19f Monitor, LA22f Monitor, and 6005 Pro USDT. http://www.apple.com/environment/ 5. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/lg-under-the-gun-for-cheatingon-energy-efficiency-testing.php Images from the Dell action will be available at approximately 10AM EST at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpeaceusa09/sets/72157624140613498/