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Apple withdraws products from 'green list'

Apple has withdrawn all its devices from the EPEAT national registry of environmentally sound products.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
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Joe Svetlik
2 min read

Apple has asked that all its devices no longer be included in EPEAT's national registry of environmentally sound products. Which is strange, considering EPEAT is funded by Apple, along with the EPA, and some other manufacturers.

The registry includes all kinds of devices, including laptops, desktops and displays, and provides consumers with peace of mind that what they're buying is environmentally sound, SlashGear reports. EPEAT stands for Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. Apple did have 39 products registered, but has pulled every man jack of them over the last month.

The EPEAT seal of approval considers a number of factors to ensure the product is as environmentally friendly as possible. These factors include energy consumption, the ability to recycle and upgrade, and which production processes are involved.

It's the recycling part that's thought to be at issue. In order for products to be easily recyclable, they need to be simple to take apart. And according to teardown site iFixit, the new MacBook Pro with retina display is near impossible to disassemble. Apple also won't be submitting products to EPEAT for approval in the future.

It looks like it's case closed. Neither Apple nor EPEAT has made any statements concerning the thinking behind the decision. It could also impact on Apple's sales, with some universities and companies preferring to opt for EPEAT-certified products. According to The Wall Street Journal, the last time a survey was carried out, more than two thirds of American universities with the largest endowments gave priority to EPEAT-certified computers.

Of course, there is a possibility that Apple is now so big it doesn't care.

But I don't want to speculate on what Apple's motives are. Instead, I'll throw it open to the floor. Why do you think Apple withdrew its products? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.