Press release - July 9, 2008
Based on information available on Apple's website (1), it seems the company known for innovation has missed an opportunity to reinvent its new 3G iPhone in green.
While new product models such as the MacBook Air and the new
iMac (2) have made progress in reducing toxic chemicals such as PVC
and Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs), Apple has not announced any
new improvements in removing the toxics (PVC, BFRs, antimony) that
Greenpeace found present in the first generation iPhone (3).
"Apple is meant to be a world leader in design and marketing,
they should also be a world leader in environmental innovation,"
said Greenpeace spokeswoman Suzette Jackson.
A previous campaign target of Greenpeace for its lagging
environmental performance (4), Apple has made a commitment to
completely phase out of PVC and BFRs in its product line by the end
of 2008 (5); other leading mobile phone providers such as Nokia and
Sony Ericsson have already displayed product lines free of these
harmful substances (6).
In June, Apple was ranked 11th of 18 companies in Greenpeace's
latest Guide to Greener Electronics, scoring 4.1 points out of a
possible ten (7).
"The iPhone may be 'Twice as Fast' and 'Half the Price' as Apple
advertises, but based on the iPhone specs from Apple's website, it
seems to have just as many toxic chemicals as previous models,"
said Jackson.
"Steve Jobs has missed an opportunity to reinvent the iPhone in
green and catch up with other leading mobile phone providers such
as Nokia and Sony Ericsson, whose product lines are already free of
these harmful substances".
Other contacts: Suzette Jackson, Greenpeace NZ Communications Manager - 021674899
Notes: (1) http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html
(2) http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html & http://www.apple.com/imac/specs/
(3) October 2007 analysis of the original iPhone by Greenpeace International http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/iPhones-hazardous-chemicals.pdf
(4) http://www.greenmyapple.org/
(5) http://www.apple.com/environment/materials/
(6) http://www.nokia.com/A4288185 & http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/download/1/354/670/1205498375/PD101000005175_A_135%5B1%5D.pdf
(7) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/how-the-companies-line-up