Greener cellphones: Does new iPhone rate?

Tag : Tapioca Starch

Will Apple's cheaper iPhone 3G also cost less for the environmentand our health? Quick answer: Kinda maybe. It's a slighteco-improvement, due to greener packaging made of potatoes insteadof Styrofoam. But although it's promised to do so by 2008, there'sno indication that the company has removed the toxic phthalatesfound in Greenpeace tests of the original iPhone last fall. Phthalates were found in the PVCvinyl wiring of both iPhone and iPod Nano earphones; the phones'circuit boards also contained hazardous brominated fire retardants(BFRs) that, Greenpeace said, release cancer-causing dioxins whenburned (one reason that recycling of cell phones is so crucial).
Apple has cleaned up in other ways, having removed bromine fromiPods and PVC internal cables and BFRs from new iMacs and theMacBook Air (which is also free of mercury and arsenic), accordingto Greenpeace's new, June 25th edition of its tech company greenratings.
Overall, the good news is that the potato/ tapioca starch-basedfoam packaging being adopted by several cell phone companies represents a 90 %reduction in carbon footprint over plastic. But as a sector, theyhave a dismal record when it comes to reliable takebackandrecycling programs, leading Greenpeace to downgrade most of theirscores. In the new report, no cell phone company got a score higherthan 5 out of 10, based on criteria including elimination ofhazardous substances, takeback and recycling programs, andreduction of greenhouse emissions through energy saving inoperations and products. Apple's overall green score: 4.1 out of10. Sony Ericsson and Sony were top-rated at just over 5, followedby Nokia at just under.
Although we're tickled by the idea of a Mr. (or Ms.) Potato iPhone,we'll hold off on any cell phone purchases until the end of 2008,by when Apple has promised it will have removed all phthalates andBFRs from all its products. And we'll check Greenpeace's latestratings before holiday gift (and wish list) time. For more detailsand all company ratings, see Greenpeace's greener electronics guide.


Posted by Mindy Pennybacker on Jul 11, 2008 at 3:16 PM
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