Apple in u-turn over eco ratings

Apple has succumbed to pressure from consumers and business customers and agreed to rejoin the EPEAT green-rating system just a week after pulling out.

Apple

The tech firm says that it was a “mistake” to pull out of EPEAT, which measures products on criteria such as environmentally hazardous materials and use of recyclable components. All eligible Apple products are now back back on the rating scheme.

When Apple originally pulled out, it said that it made more environmental progress in areas not messaged by EPEAT such as greenhouse emissions.

Local authority, the city of San Francisco, said last week that it would boycott Apple and no longer buy its products, in a bid to force the company to reconsider its decision to drop out of the rating scheme.

In a statement on its website Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering Bob Mansfield 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 recognise that this was a mistake.

“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 … much of our progress has come in areas not yet measured by EPEAT.”

EPEAT claims to be the leading global environmental rating system for electronic products, which it says allows consumers to make informed choices on electronic products and gives brands a system that recognises and validates green design.

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