Greenpeace has slammed Apple once again on environmental issues, claiming that scientific tests they arranged uncovered hazardous chemicals in the iPhone. I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing that Apple is the only phone maker that has these toxic chems, considering that the plants that iPhones are built in also make Nokias and Sony Ericsson phones too. Apple doesn't just say "Hey, put this poison in phones"—They're just a high profile target of these treehumping-nazis. At least take the entire industry to task if you're going to do something like this. And require that no Greenpeace workers and volunteers ever use another cellphone again, or any oil in their boats, or any gasoline in their car as they drive to their treehouses. I'm not saying they're wrong, but we're all a part of this, and unless they have a fix, like some hemp circuit boards, I don't want to hear it. [Edited to rant by BLam]
Analysis revealed that the phone contains toxic brominated compounds (indicating the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs)) and hazardous PVC. Of the 18 internal and external components tested, half the samples returned positive for brominated compounds—including the antenna, which amounts to 10 percent of the total weight of the flexible circuit board.
This isn't the first time Greenpeace has been all up in Apple's face about their supposed lack of commitment to becoming a green company. If you recall, Steve Jobs talked of a greener Apple in the past, but Greenpeace wasn't buying it. So is Greenpeace being unrealistic in their desire to make Apple "green to the core," or should Apple do a better job of eliminating these hazardous chemicals in their products? Or should we just forget about the environment, enjoy our gadgets and tell these hippies to stop bumming us out? [Greenpeace - thanks Mike!]