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Chinese groups slam Apple for environmental policies

by Mel Martin Jan 20th 2011 at 3:30PM

Ouch. The Associated Press is reporting that three dozen environmental groups have jointly issued a report called "The Other Side of Apple," which accuses the company of ignoring their concerns about health and safety issues at Chinese manufacturing facilities.

These plants manufacture components that are used to build iPads, iPhones and other Apple products. The report cites the use of dangerous chemicals used in the manufacture of touchscreens, and other hazardous materials that can make factory workers sick or endanger their lives.

The report comes just as Apple has opened stores in China, and this week Tim Cook told investors that China was a vast and important market for Apple.

The report noted that Apple was the least responsive of 26 tech companies doing business in China. An Apple spokeswoman in China, Carolyn Wu, has said that the company is "committed to ensuring the highest standards of social responsibility," but had no direct response to this latest report.

The groups have commended Samsung, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq Computer and others as the most responsive. Previously, Apple was embroiled in controversy after some employees committed suicide at the South China Foxconn plant where Apple products are built.



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Ouch. The Associated Press is reporting that three dozen environmental groups have jointly issued a report called "The Other Side of...
 

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derek

Out of all the horrible companies in China that have absolutely no regard whatsoever for the environment, they go after one from the US. Riiiiiight..

I mean, if Apple's not good, they're good.. I'm just saying. There are places closer to home that are worse they could attack that might do more good.

January 21 2011 at 3:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
exNewt

That's right - HP had their go at f-ing up the environment in the 1990s!!

http://www.epa.gov/ne/npdes/remediation/noi/Hewlett-Packard.pdf

January 21 2011 at 6:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mentok

Apple doesn't have to comment on ANY of this, the Foxconn people do.

Foxconn / Honhai is a subcontractor for HP, Dell, and other companies. But you don't see these companies 'responding' do you?

Finally. The reason Apple doesn't do manufacturing in the US is *because* of all the environmental regulations. It's just EASIER doing it in China. Cheap is only part of the equation.

If you want JOBS (the work, not the guy) to come back to the USA, then VOTE OUT anyone who supports climate change, 'green jobs' and all that crapola.

Pika2000 is right on the ball. The Chinese politicians didn't get their spiff, so these 'environmental groups' spouted up.

Any *real* dissenters (like the Nobel Peace Prize winner) are either in prison or a reform camp. In the morning...

-Drunken Economist
http://twitter.com/drunk_economist

January 20 2011 at 5:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael Schmitt

The "watchgroups" are obviously Chinese Government entities who are looking at the business practices of OUTSIDE companies and won't be looking at the environmental and social atrocities that are occurring in the Chinese Government-run companies within the borders of China. Has anyone ever heard of the watchdog groups? How many groups are allowed to form without the Chinese Government either placing on a stamp of approval or stamping out the group? It is a ruse, much like the 50 Cent comments that their government puts forth: pay people to be pro-Government in social media sites, and get paid to put for the propaganda of the government....

January 20 2011 at 5:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
isaacwexman

Apple may be slacking on their environmental policies, but at least they don't eat cats and dogs. Just sayin.

January 20 2011 at 5:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
james_t

Apple contracts out companies to build the components for their devices. Why should Apple be held responsible for these companies shortfalls?

January 20 2011 at 4:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to james_t's comment
james_t

That being said. If the allegations are true about these companies, Apple should seek other, more responsible, companies to produce their components.

January 20 2011 at 4:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mabhatter

China has terrible environmental practices to the core. They sold their people out decades ago... It was "cost efficient" to sacrifice tens of thousands in the name of progress. China is like the USA in the early 1900's. They are starting to realize as a people they have to live in the mess they made... No more "ethnics" to blame for tying up "underutilized" resources.

To the common folk it became an issue when the had to do extensive "rationing" cleanup before the olympics... Just 4 years later things looked very poor.... That were shining stars fresh in people's heads.

January 20 2011 at 7:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
longterm

Hello? Junior-high grammar police? I'd like to report an atrocity.

This article may take the prize for tortured syntax, badly-constructed sentences, and worst of all, a title with a grammatical error in it.

Proofread before posting.

January 20 2011 at 4:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to longterm's comment
james_t

At least they spelled iPad right this time. Progress!!

January 20 2011 at 4:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ENK

Think Different Moment...: Terminate all contracts with Chinese owned factories, move all business to Silicon Alley, build 'em here (Scranton, PA would be a step in the right direction...) Listen up Timmy Cook!

January 20 2011 at 4:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pika2000

LOL. More like Chinese politicians didn't receive "payments" from Apple in a timely manner, thus having the need to do this via the so-called "groups." In other news, Samsung and HP made their "payments" in a timely manner.

January 20 2011 at 4:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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