November 6th sees the release of the long awaited iPhone in the UK. A few days ago we wrote about how Apple was trying to go greener and the steps it was taking to achieve it’s goal. However Greenpeace have written about some tests they performed on the iPhone to check out it’s green credentials. Unfortunately it was uncomfortable reading, especially as we had been filled with joy after reading about a ‘greener Apple.’
So here we go with a brief summation of what Greenpeace found. Firstly they found evidence of hazardous chemicals within the iPhone. In half the parts tested there were levels of brominated compounds and a mixture of toxic phthalates were found to make up 1.5% of the the PVC coating of the headphones cable.
Perhaps the most harmful aspect of this is that Apple’s competitors such as Nokia, Sony Erikkson and Motorola all have PVC free phones on the market. Apple has missed a huge opportunity to show that they are committed to preserving the environment. The iPhone has been the most talked about gadget of the year and yet it falls short in the environmental stakes. The big question is will this put consumers off buying the iPhone. We suspect not. After all it looks great and has amazing features. This is probably why Apple haven’t pushed the green factor. However it would have been great if they did as it would have sent out a loud, green message which is that going green can be sleek and sexy and need not get in the way of making a truely great product. Check out the full article at GreenPeace.
