The world of journalistic reporting is a funny one, with revisions and corrections sometimes making a lot of work moot. According to Apple, this may be the case for a piece I wrote on the iPhone taking a beating from Greenpeace. So, in an effort to keep our reporting fair and balanced (oh gosh, now I sound like I work for Fox) here’s the other side to that article.

The article in question concerned a report that Greenpeace made about the latest gadget that everyone has to have: the iPhone. Apparently, in short, it was a danger to the environment as a result of its materials, and its lack of recyclability.

Their Rebuttal

The Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF) has swung back at Greenpeace, condemning their report as nothing more than a scandalous and hyped attack.

The international organization of the bromine chemical industry pointed out that none of the substances Greenpeace attacked Apple for using were banned under existing environmental laws. In fact, according to the BSEF, all the substances that were criticized by Greenpeace "…are approved for use, and provide critical performance and safety functions in a wide range of electronic products."

They went on to say that the brominated flame retardants that are used in the construction of the iPhone are all common ingredients in a wide variety of currently stocked products. The retardants provide a high level of fire safety, the Forum said, "essential in an age in which computer batteries randomly catch fire."

"The Greenpeace report does not say which brominated flame retardants are present in the iPhone because it does not know. Therefore, the report speculates about what substances might be present, and raises an alarm without any basis for doing so."

Apple also had something to say about the allegations brought against them.

"Like all Apple products worldwide, iPhone complies with RoHS [Restriction of Hazardous Substances], the world’s toughest restrictions on toxic substances in electronics," an Apple spokesperson, told Macworld. "As we have said, Apple will voluntarily eliminate the use of PVC and BFRs by the end of 2008."

My Rebuttal

So yes, in reality, the iPhone manages to stay within the rules. But the facts remain, that the tests commissioned by Greenpeace found problems.

Chemicals that, among others, include phthalates, were found in the vinyl plastic earphone wiring that were above levels deemed safe for children San Francisco and the European Union (EU). These levels were prohibited for children’s toys in both locations.

The Center for Environmental Health, basing their decisions on the report conducted, gave Apple 60-days legal notice (lawyer speak for "we’re about to sue you!").

What really gets me is the way in which the BSEF responded. Two things primarily:

• They said that the chemicals found in the iPhone are available in a wide variety of products. Doesn’t that just mean that there are a whole heap of products out there that shouldn’t be using this stuff?
• And apparently, according to the BSEF, every other computer battery is catching fire. Sadly for them, this is far from the truth. How many stories have we seen over the past year or so about exploding batteries in laptops and iPods? Well, yeah, there have been a dozen or so!

But compare that to how many were sold, and it is a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the total sold. We are not entering an "age" where everything goes kablooie at the drop of a hat. To throw that in as if their intervention is the only thing saving us from a veritable palooza of pants on fire is ridiculous, and sensationalism at its best!

The End

The news is fair and balanced. Apple will be moving to change their manufacturing standards by the end of next year! Their products aren’t above the law, but nor do they need to be, as they fit within the law. And no, they’re not going to be sending our world further in to a cataclysmic spiral any time soon.

But is that the justification you want to use? That they won’t kill us anytime soon?

Network World - Bromine group slams Greenpeace iPhone report

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