Dive Summary:
- Announcing that last week's decision was a mistake, Apple announced today that it will return eligible products to the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) rating system.
- While Apple never commented on the decision to stop submitting products to EPEAT, it was widely speculated that the decision stems from design decisions in new Apple products that would make them impossible to recycle
- In an note on the Apple website, Bon Mansfield, senior vice president of hardware engineering at the company said "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. I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT."
- There are no indications as to which specific products are deemed eligible
- See previous coverage from Waste Management Dive
From the Apple Website:
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. I recognize that this was a mistake. Starting today, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT.
It’s important to know that our commitment to protecting the environment has never changed, and today it is as strong as ever. Apple makes the most environmentally responsible products in our industry. In fact, our engineering teams have worked incredibly hard over the years to make our products even more environmentally friendly, and much of our progress has come in areas not yet measured by EPEAT.
For example, Apple led the industry in removing harmful toxins such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). We are the only company to comprehensively report greenhouse gas emissions for every product we make, taking into account the entire product lifecycle. And we’ve removed plastics wherever possible, in favor of materials that are more highly recyclable, more durable, more efficient and longer lasting.
