Last week, Apple caused a lot of uproar and came under fire after removing 39 of its products from the eco-friendly product registry EPEAT. Now, the company has decided to jump back on board. Apple's Senior VP of Product Engineering Bob Mansfield posted an open letter on Apple's Web site, explaining the company's stance on the importance of environmental friendliness and saying the EPEAT pull-out was a "mistake."
"We've recently heard from many loyal Apple customers who were disappointed to learn that we had removed our products from the EPEAT rating system," wrote Mansfield. "I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible products are back on EPEAT."
Mansfield also noted Apple's efforts in removing toxins such as brominated flame retardants (BRFs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from its products, and cited the company's regular reports on greenhouse gas emissions for each and every product. Moreover, Mansfield highlighted that Apple's entire product line not only meets, but often exceeds the current EnergyStar 5.2 standards set by the U.S. government.
"We think the IEEE 1680.1 standard could be a much stronger force for protecting the environment if it were upgraded to include advancements like these. This standard, on which the EPEAT rating system is based, is an important measuring stick for our industry and its products," added Mansfield. "Our relationship with EPEAT has become stronger as a result of this experience, and we look forward to working with EPEAT as their rating system and the underlying IEE 1680.1 standard evolve. Our team at Apple is dedicated to designing products that everyone can be proud to own and use."
EPEAT is a national registry of environmentally-friendly electronics, including notebooks, desktops, and displays. EPEAT standards were developed by several electronics manufacturers, including Apple, in collaboration with government agencies and activist groups, requiring electronic products to be more easily recyclable and with higher energy efficiency.
One of the standards, however, requires easy disassembly using common tools, and some of Apple's products, such as its Retina MacBook Pro and the new iPad, would not be eligible for EPEAT certification, EPEAT's Robert Frisbee said earlier this week. These products have also faced criticism for being particularly unfriendly for end user repairs. Also, the MacBook Pro with Retina display has its battery glued to its case, which would make recycling difficult because the process requires separating toxic parts, explained Frisbee.
Apple's decision to remove its products from EPEAT took its customer base by surprise, as the company has consistently touted its green efforts and commitment to the environment at every keynote, as well as on its Web site. EPEAT membership is voluntary, but there are numerous educational institutions and government agencies that require the products they purchase be EPEAT-certified.
On Monday, July 9, officials at San Francisco's Department of Environment announced it would no longer allow municipal agencies to purchase Apple laptops and desktops with city funds after the EPEAT pullout. Numerous universities and local governments also indicated they would reassess their own policies in light of the products' removal from EPEAT. The recommitment to EPEAT, however, should solve such issues.
"We look forward to Apple's strong and creative thoughts on ongoing standards development," EPEAT CEO Robert Frisbee wrote in a letter posted on the EPEAT Web site. "The outcome must reward new directions for both design and sustainability, simultaneously supporting the environment and the market for all manufacturers' elegant and high-performance products," he added.
"An interesting question for EPEAT is how to reward innovations that are not yet envisioned with standards that are fixed at a point in time. Diverse goals, optional points awarded for innovations not yet described, and flexibility within specified parameters to make this happen are all on the table in EPEAT stakeholder discussions. And of course, timely standards development, as with newly created Imaging Equipment and Television standards, and the current refresh of the PC/Display standard, is critical as well."
