I don't know what's made Apple post the iPhone 3G's Environmental Status Report but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Maybe Apple Chief Steve Jobs read my blog and decided to act before our scientists got their hands and screwdrivers on his latest phone. While the new iPhone has less polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR) than the original one, Apple has yet to eliminate these and other harmful substances like antimony, beryllium and phthalates.

Making phones without any PVC or BFR isn't a problem for Sony Ericsson and Nokia so why is Apple lagging behind? The iPhone in my opinion is a very stylish handset that scores high on usability and enjoys a cult following judging from the queues to buy it. It's a pity that it's not as green as the others when there's no reason why it couldn't be. Apple has promised to get rid of PVC and BFRs by the end of this year though. Let's see if they fulfil it.

Update 17 July 2008: Apple releases iPhone 3G's Environmental Status Report

Get ready folks, the Apple iPhone 3G is out today. What are you going to do? Run to the nearest store and join the queue or find out whether Apple has lived up to its green promises? Well, I have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is that the iPhone 3G will come in potato starch packaging which is definitely greener than plastic. But what we are concerned about is the nasty stuff inside the iPhone like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR).

This time last year Steve Jobs was ignoring our calls for a greener Apple, but yesterday he revealed the new MacBook Air – the thinnest notebook on the planet and Apple’s greenest computer so far.

It uses less brominated fire retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), but it hasn’t eliminated them entirely. Had it done so, it would have made Apple an ecological leader.

You might be looking forward to the European launch of Apple's iPhone in November (we were certainly looking forward to the possibility that the iPhone would prove Steve Jobs' newfound commitment to the environment).

Unfortunately, the iPhone's beauty only runs skin deep. A team of scientists got hold of one, dismantled it and uncovered nasty stuff that other phone makers have already stopped using, including two types of hazardous substances:

Our international office has the full story - including a report (pdf) and a slideshow of high quality images.

It's that time again; we've just released our latest quarterly Greener Electronics Guide, which ranks manufacturers on their toxics and recycling policies and practices.

Our campaign against toxic e-waste in computers and electronic equipment is starting to show results, with many of the biggest names in the business tripping over themselves in the rush not to be left on the bottom rung of our Green Electronics Guide.

Sometime yesterday, something quite remarkable appeared on the Apple homepage that has caused a flurry of excitement. Take a look - see that green apple down in the bottom left? That wasn't there this time yesterday and behind it is a statement from no less than Steve Jobs, addressing many of the issues that Mac users across the world have been highlighting as part of our Green My Apple campaign.

So Steve Jobs, Apple guru and all-round groovy guy, has made his keynote speech at MacWorld. But there was something missing - no word on what Apple should be doing to sort out the toxics in its iPods, not to mention their shoddy recycling policy. So we've done a little bit of re-editing so we can all hear what Steve should have said.

If you like it, spread the word on Digg and Hugg.

Acer and Lenovo are the latest of the top computer makers to commit to stop using the worst toxic chemicals in their products. Along with Motorola these companies are the biggest movers in the latest version of our Guide to Greener Electronics. Disappointingly for Mac fans, Apple has dropped to last place.