Toxic tellies ditched by Samsung

One of the offending Samsung tellies

Electronics giant Samsung announced today that dangerous chemicals are to be dropped from their TVs and mobile phones.

Televisions and mobiles containing dangerous toxic chemicals are to be ditched by the company following recent discussions with Greenpeace.

The hazardous substances to be dropped by the electronics company have been linked to liver, kidney and testicular damage, and are suspected to cause cancer.

Samsung will be phasing out brominated flame retardants, which are used to protect against fire in electrical components, and phthalates, which are often used in mobile phone key-pads, for safer alternatives.

Mark Strutt, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner, said: "By ditching these dodgy and unnecessary chemicals, Samsung have shown the rest of the electronics industry the way forward.

"Unfortunately, pretty much every other electronics company seems perfectly happy to stuff their TVs and mobile phones with dangerous chemicals. They obviously have no idea how to act responsibly, so it's time that the Government banned these hazardous substances."

Gregor Margetson, Head of European Environmental Affairs for Samsung Electronics Europe, said: "Samsung Electronics has always taken environmental issues seriously and our work with Greenpeace shows we welcome constructive input on such subjects.

"Their initial criticism motivated us to re-evaluate our goals and consider what is truly possible. We choose to take the difficult option because we have ambitions to become a more sustainable company, and we realise that this prize comes at a price"

Further Information
For more information contact:
Greenpeace Press office on 020 7865 8255
Samsung Communications Department on 01932 455256

For more information on the man-made chemicals which find their way into our bodies via household products we all use, visit our Toxics campaign homepage.