The manufacturers of popular games consoles are not doing enough to eliminate potentially harmful chemicals and metals from their products, according to Greenpeace.

The Playing Dirty report examined materials used inside the Sony Playstation 3 (PS3), Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii consoles. Although the manufacturers claim the consoles comply with relevant European laws, Greenpeace says that they contain harmful materials that "needed to be replaced".

It reserved its harshest criticism for Nintendo, describing the company's environmental policies as "non-existent”.

Greenpeace said the PS3 and Xbox 360 both contained "very high" levels of chemicals called phthalates, which are used to "soften" flexible materials such as wires and cable coatings.

Zeina Al-Hajj, international toxic campaign co-ordinator at Greenpeace, said that phthalates were harmful to people’s health. The use of some phthalates in toys is restricted by European law, but European Union (EU) regulations do not class games consoles as toys.

“Games consoles are way behind PCs and notebooks in terms of environmental awareness. They may say they are conforming to EU law but the fact they can get away with using phthalates shows this is not enough,” Ms Al-Hajj told Computeractive.

The report also found that all three consoles contained varying levels of the toxic element bromine, which is used as a flame retardant. Beryllium, which is not banned under EU law but has been linked to lung cancer when dust and fumes are created through some recycling processes, was also found in both the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Greenpeace said that Sony had done a good job ensuring its notebooks are environmentally friendly, but criticised the company for not taking the same care with its PS3 console. Sony has failed to agree to eliminate PVC and BFR from its consoles, while at the same time pledging their removal from its mobile products.

Greenpeace called on all three firms to take immediate action to eliminate toxic chemicals from its products.

“Games consoles are an innovative industry that is growing much faster than legislation, and manufacturers need to register this and do something about it,” said Ms Al-Hajj.

Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft all told Computeractive that they comply with all the relevant EU directives.

A representative for Microsoft told Computeractive that it would "continue to evaluate options that help reduce the impact on the environment of Xbox 360 products without sacrificing safety, durability, performance and development costs.”

Sony said it would eliminate PVC and BFR from all of its products "as and when we are satisfied that we can produce products of equal Sony quality in all regards using new alternative materials".