LAS VEGAS, USA: From sinner to saviour: After years of heat from Greenpeace about its environmental record, Apple has become the example par excellence in the eyes of the ecology group after it studied the issue.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Thursday, Greenpeace heaped praise not only on Apple but also cell-phone makers Nokia and Sony Ericsson for their products and information technology guidelines.

At the bottom of the list in the Greenpeace study were Samsung, Dell, Lenovo and LG Eletronics.

Greenpeace is pushing for manufacturers of computers and electronic entertainment systems to renounce the use of dangerous chemical substances like PVC and poisonous flame retardants.

Appliances should use as little energy as possible and be recyclable. Greenpeace also demands transparency from producers in their environmental data.

"It's time for a little less conversation and a lot more action on removing toxic chemicals," said Casey Harrell, Greenpeace International Electronics campaigner. "Apple is leading and HP is playing catch up, but the lack of action from other companies is ensuring that customers and the environment are still losing out."
©IANS