Email This StoryiPhone chemicals raise health concerns
Oct. 19, 2007
By Kathleen Williams
Reporter
The iPhone's changing the world, but is it for the better?
Greenpeace, an environmental protection and peace-promoting organization, released a study revealing the levels of toxic chemicals found in Apple's new iPhone.
The study demonstrates Apple's goal of phasing out the use of hazardous materials in its products hasn't been reached.
Greenpeace's findings showed high levels of chlorine in Apple's white headphone cables that are sold with the iPhone. Chlorine's presence in the headphones led researchers to conclude the cables were made of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.
PVC's a versatile plastic that's been accused of adversely affecting human health and the environment. On the other hand, PVC is widely used in households and irrigation systems. Greenpeace's study claimed PVC interferes in the sexual development of males.
But professor in the chemistry and biochemistry departments Dr. Charles Garner said compounds like those in the iPhone are commonly found in numerous products.
Bromine, another element detected in the iPhone as part of an organic compound, is a flame retardant. Bromine's presence in Apple's iPhone most likely serves to reduce its flammability.
Garner said this isn't unusual.
"This article acts like Apple's breaking the norm here and going with unusually toxic things," he said.
The study explained once bromine from the iPhone's antennas reaches the waste stream, it becomes a toxic pollutant.
The flexible plastic of the iPhone headphones also had high levels of extractable additives known as phthalates.
Phthalates are oily materials used to soften plastics to make them more flexible. Garner said when flexible plastics become brittle, the phthalates have evaporated from them.
"They do seem to have some health effects," Garner said, "although not very toxic."
Garner said it took scientists decades to realize the health effects of phthalates although they've been used in consumer goods for a long time.
"Phthalates are pretty ubiquitous," Garner said. "You'd most likely find more in Wal-Mart than in the iPhone."
Certain phthalates, like those found in Apple's iPhone, are banned from toys and childcare articles in the European Union.
In addition to containing arguable toxic chemical compounds, the iPhone's battery is not environmentally friendly, according to Greenpeace's study.
The iPhone's battery is glued and soldered to its handset, making it nearly impossible to separate the two components. The connectedness of the iPhone's battery to the handset makes it more difficult for users to recycle. Greenpeace's study indicated that recycling the batteries would occur less frequently as a consequence.
"Chemists aren't going to think twice about Greenpeace's findings. They'll see it has hysteria," Garner said.
However, he said the general public may find Greenpeace's findings more alarming.
Houston senior Hunter Fendley said Greenpeace's study could affect his decision to purchase an iPhone.
"Because the product's so new, consumers like me are trying to find all the information about it they can." Fendley said.
Fendley said he uses a BlackBerry and isn't likely to switch to another handheld device.
Waco graduate student Caleb Roberts, however, was unconcerned with the potential health effects.
"Greenpeace's study isn't going to hurt my thoughts on Mac," he said.
"More than likely the study's a hit at Apple to take their large market share away," Roberts said.
Garner said Greenpeace's study might be political strategy and that Greenpeace may be targeting companies for the use of semi-toxic materials with hopes that other companies will also back off from using them.
U.S. Federal regulations and scientific data concerning the presence of chlorine, bromine and phthalates in consumer goods like the iPhone may not be consistent with Greenpeace's charges against Apple, but they may be in Europe.
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