Apple criticized for China supply chain pollution

[cory777]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Chinese environmental groups accused Apple Inc of turning a blind eye as its suppliers pollute the country, the latest criticism of the technology company's environmental record.

Toxic discharges from "suspected Apple suppliers" have been encroaching on local communities and environments, a coalition of environmental organizations said on Wednesday in a 46-page report alleging efforts to conceal pollution.

Widespread environmental degradation has accompanied China's breakneck economic growth, and the government has been criticized for failing to take steps to curb pollution.

"The large volume of discharge in Apple's supply chain greatly endangers the public's health and safety," said the report, issued on the website of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (www.ipe.org.cn).

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-apple-china-idUSTRE77U4M620110831

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[OhioChick]

1. Shhh.....No criticizing of Apple here n/t

[madrchsod]

2. why do you think apple has it`s products made in china...

low sweat shop wages and 0 environmental law enforcement.

[hughee99]

3. They should find themselves a well respected environmentalist

and put him on the board of directors. Someone who's reputation is such that they wouldn't want a company they have some oversight over to be profiting at the expense of the Earth. Maybe someone like Al Gore... oh wait. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

[StarsInHerHair]

4. have those Chinese environmentalists tried asking their Government to

put in safety regulations? or is it all up to the various corporations?

[NewJeffCT]

5. the safety regulations are there

the problem is the lack of enforcement, or the inconsistent enforcement, or the corrupt enforcement... or some combo of all three.

[Brickbat]

6. I know people like to bash Apple for this, but really, if it says "Made in China" on the label, I

assume it was made under no labor, safety or environmental standards, whether it's a shoe or a bottle of apple juice or a computer.

[Javaman]

7. Apple answer to their share holders...

I use a Mac and have so for years, but the reality is, no matter how much of a Madison Ave shiny face you put on Apple, it's still a corporation. And as such, if they can do things, bad things, sometimes very bad things, to save money, they will. So they can turn a better profit.

Regulations in china exist, however, as someone else said in this thread, they are rarely enforced. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Tons of corporations take full advantage of the lack of oversight and regulations enforcement in china. Levi's, for example, got slapped with a huge environmental lawsuit in Mexico for dumping the waste from their indigo dye into rivers used for drinking water. They packed up their shops and moved to china. not a peep.

The list goes on and on and on. There are whole areas of china that are so fucking toxic due to metal extrication, that the cancer rates are skyrocketing. Go to any of the shipping yards where they do reclamation work. Much like India, these areas are so dense with heavy metals in the soil, children are being born deformed or with massive mental problems.

the reality is: if china chose ever to clean up its act, they wouldn't be growing and making the huge amounts of money they are pulling in.

Want to fix it? get rid of the free trade bullshit and re-institute tariffs on corporations doing their production over there.

[endless october]

8. considering the prices of apple products

I find it amazing they need to make any of it in China.