In late 2001, Dutch officials blocked a shipment of 1.3m Sony PlayStation games consoles because their cables contained levels of cadmium higher than those permitted by local law. Cadmium does not pose any health risks when used as a stabiliser and colouring agent in plastics, but incorrect disposal of such plastics can cause long-term environmental damage, and a law limiting the levels of cadmium was introduced in the Netherlands in 1999. Sony suspended shipments of several products while it addressed the problem, and lost EUD 110m ($100m) in sales as a result. The case gives a foretaste of what could happen next year, when similar legislation comes into force across the European Union.
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