Expatica news

Greenpeace blockades Hewlett-Packard office

19 November 2004

AMSTERDAM — Greenpeace activists have blockaded the main entrance of the offices of computer giant Hewlett-Packard in Utrecht with a thousand old HP computers.

The environmental group wants the company to stop using a bromide-based fire-retardant chemical TBBA in its computers, which Greenpeace says is dangerous to humans.

The protest started at 6.15am and targeted the main entrance to HP’s offices in Utrecht, allowing employees to use other entrances into the Dutch headquarters.

Greenpeace published a report earlier this week that claimed bromide-based flame retardants can get into the human bloodstream.

In a press release on its website, Greenpeace said it had held discussions with HP but the computer maker had refused to stop using TBBA.

“Greenpeace feels that a company that makes use of dangerous substances and doesn’t switch to cleaner alternatives is not behaving responsibly.”

Greenpeace said electronics company Samsung, sportswear manufacturer Puma, and department store H&M had indicated their willingness to remove dangerous substances from their products.

HP released a statement to say it was deeply disappointed by Greenpeace’s actions. The firm claimed that it was complying with all current environmental regulations and “Greenpeace was ignoring the the company’s continuing attention for the environment and customer safety”. 

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news