vB Easy Archive - Greenpeace Report On iPhone Toxins May Prompt Lawsuit

Pages: 1

Greenpeace Report On iPhone Toxins May Prompt Lawsuit
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: erichau

Greenpeace Report On iPhone Toxins May Prompt Lawsuit

By Jack McCarthy
8:00 PM EDT Mon. Oct. 15, 2007

Greenpeace has issued a scathing report saying Apple iPhone contains hazardous chemicals in both its external and internal components.

The international environmental organization said that despite vows earlier this year by Apple CEO Steve Jobs to make Apple products environmentally safe, tests it commissioned found unhealthy chemicals in the iPhone, including toxic brominated compounds indicating the prescence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and hazardous vinyl (PVC) plastic.

Greenpeace, which has previously criticized Apple over chemicals in its products, said Jobs had promised to phase out toxic chemicals in Apple's products. "Steve Jobs has missed the call on making the iPhone his first step towards greening Apple's products," said Zeina Alhajj, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner, in a statement on Greenpeace's Website. "It seems that Apple is far from leading the way for a green electronics industry, as competitors, like Nokia, already sell mobile phones free of PVC."

In a study of the iPhone, Greenpeace examined 18 components. "In addition to vinyl (PVC) plastic with phthalates, (which are used to turn polyvinyl choliride from a hard plastic into a flexible plastic), tests showed brominated compounds in half the samples.'The compounds comprised 10 percent of the total weight of the flexible circuit board in the iPhone. This is the third time that Greenpeace has tested an Apple product since 2006. Similar analyses of a MacBook Pro and an iPod Nano also revealed the presence of phthalates and BFRs," Greenpeace said. ' Rick Hind, a Greenpeace spokesman, said Apple could have made the iPhone without the controversial substances. "Apple missed a key opportunity when it rolled out the iPhone in June," Hind said in a statement on Greenpeace's Website. "There is no reason why the iPhone could not have been made without toxins like vinyl plastics and brominated flame retardants as Nokia is already doing."

In May, Jobs issued a company report in which he outlined Apple's environmental product safety plans. "Apple has been criticized by some environmental organizations for not being a leader in removing toxic chemicals from its new products, and for not aggressively or properly recycling its old products," Jobs said in the report. "Upon investigating Apple's current practices and progress towards these goals, I was surprised to learn that in many cases Apple is ahead of, or will soon be ahead of, most of its competitors in these areas. Whatever other improvements we need to make, it is certainly clear that we have failed to communicate the things that we are doing well."

Apple could not be reached for comment Monday.

Greenpeace said it was disappointed with Apple's iPhone release. "We watched closely when the iPhone was launched in June for any mention of the green features of the phone from Apple. There was none," the group said.

In related news, The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) gave Apple notice that the group intends to sue Apple over the findings in the Greenpeace report. The center said it will file the lawsuit unless Apple "enters into a binding written aggreements to 1. recall products already sold; 2. provide clear and reasonable warnings for products sold in the future or reformulate such products to eliminate the (chemical) exposures; and 3. pay an appropriare cilvil penalty based on the factors enumerated in the California Health and Safety Code."

Greenepace said some of Apple's competitor mobile phone makers have a far better record in making enviromentally safe phones than does Apple.

"Nokia is totally PVC free, Motorola and Sony Ericsson have already products on the market with BFR free components," Greenepace said. Both companies also have a global take-back policy for old phones "That saves resources and helps prevent old phones from adding to the mountain of e-waste that has been dumped in Asia. Apple does not have a global free take-back policy so the eventual fate of the between four [million] and 10 million iPhones expected to be sold in its first year is uncertain."

Greenpeace also said Apple should take action to alter its forthcoming iPhones. "With next month's European launch of the iPhone, Apple should sell a version which is at least as green as the offerings from Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Motorola," Greenpeace said.

~~~~

Well iPhones contain a hazardous chemical... Any comments?
http://www.crn.com/hardware/202403043

Posted by: Fray Adjacent

Man, everyone freaked out at lead... hell, I have 30 pounds of lead down in the garage, and I have handled it, melted it and cast bullets with it. And I'm not sick, deformed, mutated or even slightly annoyed.

IMHO, these greepeace kooks should just sell all their technological stuff, because it ALL had SOMETHING used in it or in it's production that could KILL YOU.

Posted by: addictcell

posted the video of greenpeace disassembling the "toxic" iphone...

http://celladdictblog.blogspot.com/...peace-test.html

Posted by: Shard

God I hate greenpeace.

Posted by: mic2074

just their cheap a$$ attempt to gain publicity... I'm sure all cellphone contain varying levels of toxic chemicals - GP not protesting those just because it's not in the headlines.

Posted by: flyingdutchman

Man I would hate to see Apple's legal bill! Everyone and their mother sues 'em! I think I am going to sue because I really don't like the design of Steve Jobs' glasses.

BTW, I did not read the article and am in no way commenting on the validity of Greenpeace's lawsuit, just the fact that about 2 lawsuits a week are announced against Apple.

Posted by: aarononfire

oh booh hoo the hippies don't like iphones now we better go back to cans and string

Posted by: erichau

To think the effects if there is would actually kick in and have some side effects, like lead poisoning or mercury poisoning...

Posted by: MUT308

Since Apple has yet to implement a policy regarding proper iPhone disposal, I'll volunteer to take all unwanted iphones off people's hands

Posted by: goldsaint

thats the cheapest lies i have ever heard of.

first of, u dont say nokia and motorola got 0 toxic electronical stuff to second the idea that the iphone is some sort of mutant.

greepeace?? they are a bunch of retarded people who got their crew through some sort of old communist patriot.

'' guys !! come on, lets vote the revolution against the devilish iphone! ''

simply lol.

Posted by: jeff1987

PVC??? Haha without PVC we wouldn't have pipes in our homes. I was unaware that plastic was such a big deal. No wonder hippies are so dirty... They can't shower without PVC.

Posted by: ~~Tito~~

BOOOO!!! THEY SUCK BIG TIMe!!!

Posted by: VERSACE

hypocrisy hypocrisy hypocrisy

boy do i hate green piece of s**t

leave them apple alone, bastards

Posted by: johnjayb

didnt they say that the HEADPHONES have PVC... not the phone..
then go on to state that NOKIAS do NOT use PVC... dont count the HEADPHONES! were talking bout the PHONE!!!

Posted by: SBCingular

Quote:

Originally Posted by MUT308

Since Apple has yet to implement a policy regarding proper iPhone disposal, I'll volunteer to take all unwanted iphones off people's hands

Apple already has a recycle program for all ipods and cell phones

http://www.apple.com/environment/re...yclingpage.html

Posted by: Vincent9V

Well the important question is is the materials from the iPhone safe for the user/people?
and why target iphone? Don't all cell phones have the same materials?

Posted by: SBCingular

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vincent9V

Well the important question is is the materials from the iPhone safe for the user/people?
and why target iphone? Don't all cell phones have the same materials?

GP is targeting Apple for nothing more than great publicity. All cell phones have hazerdous materials in them.

Greenpeace admits iPhone 'compliant' with Euro chemicals rules

Posted by: DreamWeaver88

**** Greenpeace.......and all organizations like them. **** PETA, too.

DW

Posted by: scaredpoet

The problem with Greenpeace (and PETA) is that they've taken a worthy cause - helping the environment in this case - and distorted it to the point of extremism, using it as a pretext for furthering a sensationalist agenda, often with anti-corporate, anti-globalization undertones. What achievements have Greenpeace actually made through their rhetoric? I'd be surprised if even one could be confirmed. So they got Apple to use LEDs in their laptops. Greeeat. What about the millions of Lenovo, Dell, Acer and Gateway laptops that aren't getting any attention?

Apple gains prominence (and gains lots of lawsuits too) because they're a closely-watched, iconic company. Plain and simple. If Greenpeace made a stink about computers and cell phones as a whole (because they ALL use the same materials and ALL come from the same small group of vendors and factories in Asia), then there would be little attention given to Greenpeace. But if you name Apple, THEN you get the oohs and ahhs, and it generates discussion. Like this thread.

Never mind the fact that Apple laptops tend to be used longer, have better resale values, and are thus less likely to fill landfills as quickly as the commoditized PCs and cheap cell phones out there. The real results from Greenpeace's campaign will be minimal at best, but all they care about is making that splash.