An environmental group, Greenpeace, on Friday called for more efforts to produce "the greenest consumer electronic products" on the market.

Consumer electronic products today have "a smaller environmental footprint than those sold a year ago" but the industry as a whole still has plenty of room for improvement, Greenpeace said in a new survey released at the ongoing Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is the world's largest tradeshow for consumer technology.

In the survey entitled "Green Electronics: the Search Continues," Greenpeace assesses the progress made over the past year by consumer electronic companies on their public commitments to green their products, Greenpeace said in a press release.

The survey finds that fewer electronic products on the market contain harmful PVC plastic and fewer hazardous chemicals are being used in products, while LED (light-emitting diode) displays, which save energy and avoid the use of mercury in backlights, are more commonplace.

"Manufacturers are using larger quantities of post-consumer recycled plastic in TVs and monitors and producers have established more comprehensive voluntary take-back and recycling programs," said the release. "Most companies have also adapted quickly to the new requirements of Energy Star, a well recognized benchmark for energy efficiency."

"We're on the hunt for a truly green product that is free from toxic chemicals and excels in energy efficiency and durability," said Casey Harrell, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner.

"We're pleased to say that the electronics industry has taken encouraging strides toward increasing the green features on some gadgets over the past year but none stands out in all environmental categories. The race for the green winner is still on," Harrell said.

50 of their most environmentally friendly new products - mobile and smart phones, televisions, computer monitors, notebook and desktop computers, and game consoles at the CES, the Greenpeace release said.

Greenpeace assessed and scored 50 new products submitted by 15 major electronics brands against a set of environmental criteria.

"The scores are higher and closer together this year, suggesting a more competitive race to green gadgets," said Harrell.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2009)