Apple iPhone Toxicity Dangers

Apple’s problems started with environmental protection advocate Greenpeace issuing a report (PDF) finding the iPhone not up to snuff with its standards of responsible technology.

The irony is that the iPhone showed no traces of cadmium or mercury, typical causes for violation. While the iPhone appears to have met EU and U.S. environmental standards, it did not meet those of Greenpeace. Greenpeace found trace amounts of lead and other carcinogenic compounds in the device.

Lead is a carcinogen and can cause brain damage. Despite a large amount of medical evidence, only one state, California, recognize lead based solders to be carcinogenic.

Caroline Cox is the research director with the California Center for Environmental Health.

Cox: What we really need is more systematic testing by the manufacturers and the suppliers and the retailers. So that people can really have assurance that when they buy something that the product won’t contain toxic chemicals.

Apple says it plans to eliminate PVC — polyvinyl chloride — from its products, including the headphone cables, by the end of next year. Cox says that’s not soon enough to meet California regulations and the Center will sue Apple if it doesn’t correct the problem.