E-Scrap News Magazine: Apple drops EPEAT

## Apple drops EPEAT


_By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling_

Apple is withdrawing from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), after being among the first OEMs to support the green electronics rating system.

EPEAT allows electronics manufacturers to highlight and validate their green design initiatives using a checklist of environmental criteria, such as designing devices for recyclability, energy efficiency, or elimination of hazardous components. The federal government, the largest purchaser of electronics and IT equipment in the U.S., gives [strong preference][1] for products registered with EPEAT when making procurement decisions.

"We regret that Apple will no longer be registering its products in EPEAT," reads a statement on EPEAT's website. "We hope that they will decide to do so again at some point in future."

While the move caught many at the organization by surprise, according to sources that spoke to E-Scrap News, a closer look at Apple's recent design trend reveals growing conflicts with the criteria needed to maintain a favorable EPEAT ranking. For example, an [iFixit teardown][2] of Apple's latest Macbook Pro revealed batteries that were glued to the product casing, screens fused to the product housing and other design decisions that gave the product a low repairability and recyclability score. Other products, like the iPad and iPhone, utilize similar design decisions.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

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[1]: http://www.epa.gov/epeat/
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URL: http://resource-recycling.com/node/2896