Warning: iPhone Bad for the Environment

This year’s Blog Action Day aims to raise awareness about environmental issues. As part of my contribution, I’m asking readers to contact Apple and demand that they make the iPhone more environmentally-friendly.

Why? Apple in May said it was making plans to go green, but a Greenpeace report released today revealed two dangerous environmental pollutants in the iPhone: brominated flame retardants and PVCs.

The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) points out that it is illegal in California to ship a product containing PVCs unless it has a clear label warning consumers of the hazards — iPhone does not. The CEH intends to sue Apple if it does not address the issue.

I’m glad that these concerns are being brought to light. Motorola, Nokia, and Sony-Ericsson have all gotten rid of PVCs in their handsets, so why hasn’t Apple? As an innovator in the consumer electronics market, Apple should step it up and make the iPhone less toxic.

Last week on its home page, Apple commemorated Al Gore for winning the Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness about global warming. If Apple truly cares about the environment, it will see to it that the iPhone makes less of an impact on our planet.

PVCs in the iPhone are especially dangerous when they leak from landfills to groundwater. Considering the worldwide water shortages lately, this is something we really don’t want happening, which is why we need to recycle our old handsets. Ahem, Apple, where’s the iPhone recycling program? Edit: I just discovered Apple accepts old cell phones through its iPod recycling program. This cell phone recycling program should be better promoted.

Go ahead, let Apple know you care about the planet and want a more “green” iPhone. Give them a call or send them an e-mail and tell them what you think.

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