Apple Backpedals, Puts "All Eligible Products" Back on EPEAT Environmental Registry

[theBB]

PS/edit: The rMBP got 21 points over the Mac Mini with 18 - this is hyporitical. You can take the Mac Mini appart, replace HDD, RAM, etc. You are even encouraged to help yourself with the simple stuff. It is easy to access o the bottom.

If the standard is aiming to certify how easy it is to "recycle" a product, your ability to take it apart is a bit irrelevant. This may help people extend the useful product life, which I guess is good for the environment, but this is not necessarily the purview of this certificate. I also don't know how many people actually replace HDD, RAM etc. even if it is easy, so overall impact on the environment may be fairly low in the end.

 

[Mad-B-One]

If the Green Electronics Council balked at Apple's proposals, then Apple forced their hand by withdrawing. Losing one of the biggest consumer electronics companies on the planet (and one which helped drafted the original EPEAT) was probably too much for the Green Electronics Council to stomach.

Or, it is the other way around: It's a standard. You don't have to meet it. If not, no one will shut down you company. You just don't get cerified. See, it pays to be certified - that's why Apple changed so quickly. I would actually like to see less compromise. I would like to see less glue, more possibilities of devices being repairable without breaking the banks a few years down the road. rMBP meeting "Gold" standard, above the Mac Mini? Repairability from ifixit: rMBP: 1/10, Mac Mini: 8/10. Now, tell me that has anything to do with innovation...

 

[petsounds]

I didn't see anything in the letter about Apple taking another look at its new glue-based MBP to re-evaluate its recyclability. Excuse me if I don't celebrate quite yet. I'm all for evolving standards, as long as Apple also evolves in the right direction. Rewriting the EPEAT standard to make the MBP suddenly get a gold star under EPEAT would not be the right direction. Hopefully everything is on the up and up here.

---
p.s. It's still really weird not having the downvote button. Everyone wants to turn the internet into fluffy cotton candy.

 

[benwiggy]

I cannot stand waffling.
"Oh we made a decision. Oh, people are getting angry, let's change our decision."
Screw that. For better or for worse, make a choice and stick to it.

Really? For worse? Even if events turn out worse because of your decision, you should stick to it?

It's a better virtue to be doggedly stubborn than check your bearings and adjust your course?

You've never changed your mind in the face of new evidence? Cause that would be "waffling"?

 

[Bheleu]

Good to see Apple back on the EPEAT. I'm surprised the MBPr is on there? I thought the glued in battery precluded it from getting approval? or has it just received a lower grade? Glueing in the battery is on face value a stupid idea. Though I don't know the product well enough to say if they've had to use glue to get it in there and prevent using other fixing plates (though I doubt it really had no other option that to glue it)

GLUE can be an all natural product, for hundreds of years people sold their broken down horses, cattle, etc. and the marrow from the bones was used for GLUE. Why this hatred over something typically shoved in a plastic bottle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue

No clue if they use the environmentally friendly (shoot the horse) glue, or PVA.

 

[hobo.hopkins]

As others have said, I suspect that EPEAT agreed to look over their guidelines to see how they could be improved. It isn't like doing so wouldn't help both companies.

 

[Macboy Pro]

Apple pulls away and EPEAT realizes it better update their judging proccess

or... government agencies halted purchasing and Apple Realized it better re-think.

 

[the8thark]

I think Macrumors.com deserves a lot of credit here. You guys acted like true journalists and brought this issue to the public's attention and the world is a better place because of it. Thanks!

I have to agree here. This is the one of the first times I have seen an article here really worthy of praise. Well this and the last one. Bringing this issue to all of our attention.

Most people here know I am rather critical of the MacRumor articles. And rightly so, some of them are pure garbage. But this one and all the related ones are very well done. I am impressed.

 

[Peace]

Well htf is this possible? You need a sledgehammer and crowbar to dismantle it.

I may be wrong here but I just re-read the standards and it seems like the part about taking it apart has been reworded to fit Apples laptops so I think the organization kinda sorta caved in to Apple.

Plus they said they are adding televisions by the end of the year. I think that parts new also.

 

[macidiot]

I cannot stand waffling.
"Oh we made a decision. Oh, people are getting angry, let's change our decision."
Screw that. For better or for worse, make a choice and stick to it.
Finally, I hope Apple never lets these EPEAT standards dictate what they can or cannot do as far as product design.

I feel exactly the same way. I was very impressed that Apple had stuck to their guns when they publicly explained why they left EPEAT, but I guess they caved in. Unfortunate. I certainly hope this decision does not stand in the way of Apple's design choices in the future.

Wow, really?

Are you suggesting that Apple should have just stuck with the flawed antenna design of the iphone 4 because it was prettier? Or the several other instances where Apple made a mistake and provided refunds, credits, or free product in response to outcry from the public?

This is like sticking your fingers in your ears and saying "nah, nah, nah, I can't hear you." Only a fool or idiot refuses to admit they made the wrong decision when faced with obvious facts.

 

[pubwvj]

Success

In other words, it worked. EPEAT is now willing to change to meet Apple's needs for design improvement. All of this was to force EPEAT to update the standards and it worked.

 

[cvaldes]

Or, it is the other way around: It's a standard. You don't have to meet it. If not, no one will shut down you company. You just don't get cerified. See, it pays to be certified - that's why Apple changed so quickly.

However, Apple took the unprecedented action of requesting that existing approved products be taken down.

They could have just ignored everything and let whatever certified products fall of the EPEAT list as they became obsolete.

The fact that they removed then reinstated their certified products indicates some sort of deliberate power play. Even more odd is Apple's use of Bob Mansfield, an outgoing EVP to make the statement because Bob typically does not speak for the company on a public relations level.

As a matter of fact, Apple probably knew from the beginning that it would end up like this and that they would need some sort of scapegoat. They could have left EPEAT last year or next year, it probably wouldn't have mattered. My guess is that they had this planned for a while, and the idea was probably Steve's. They just needed the right opportunity.

Unquestionably, this action smacks of a Steve Jobs power play.

 

[macchiato2009]

i love Bob Mansfield's marketing move

like "we still don't give a ***** about EPEAT but we'll do it so that people would believe that we care"

 

[a.gomez]

This is the attitude of very stubborn people.
You know...it takes more courage to change your mind than to stick to your wrong thoughts.
Learn from that. This attitude won't bring you very far in your life.

Apple made the right decision. It shows us, that they don't behave like little children like some users here in the forum

Well said.

 

[Jbach67]

Repeat

It sounds like EPEAT needs to evolve, and Apple just kicked their ass to do so. Hopefully Apple never compromises on design to fit some external, outdated environmental standard. Perhaps soon EPEAT will change, and Apple will be the only ones complying with it, having written the standards themselves.

Apple was involved in putting the standards together along with others. And they have been compromising for years to improve the environmental footprint while maintaining a high level of function and form - which is one reason I switched to them. In general, Apple is doing a good job in terms of the biggest issue, energy use and CO2 and may be the most transparent company in terms of getting specs on total life cycle impacts - of which recycling is a very small part. iPads are hard to pull apart, but they use very little juice. But some of the innards like lithium batteries and some other metals should be recoverable, whether by the user or Apple itself, so I'm glad they'll still be taking a look at that. I'd also consider the additional goal of user available upgrades for at least some products, which is what causes an EPEAT problem for the retinal MBP. But you can still buy a qualifying alternative, if easy upgrades as well recycling are important to you.

By Apple's own admission, the attempt to move all products off of EPEAT because some no longer fit was a mistake. Staying in there will make it easier to find solutions and revised standards that will permit recycling while still moving to thin, impossible to upgrade MBPs.

 

[SBlue1]

Now that was quick!

 

[tommy060289]

GLUE can be an all natural product, for hundreds of years people sold their broken down horses, cattle, etc. and the marrow from the bones was used for GLUE. Why this hatred over something typically shoved in a plastic bottle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue

No clue if they use the environmentally friendly (shoot the horse) glue, or PVA.

But isn't the issue more about a lack of recyclability due to difficulty in disassembly?

 

[Marcus-k]

GLUE can be an all natural product, for hundreds of years people sold their broken down horses, cattle, etc. and the marrow from the bones was used for GLUE. Why this hatred over something typically shoved in a plastic bottle?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue

No clue if they use the environmentally friendly (shoot the horse) glue, or PVA.

It's not the fact that the glue is used but more that the batteries can't be removed for recycling due to the glue that makes it weird that it still got gold certified.

 

[Rogifan]

Or, it is the other way around: It's a standard. You don't have to meet it. If not, no one will shut down you company. You just don't get cerified. See, it pays to be certified - that's why Apple changed so quickly. I would actually like to see less compromise. I would like to see less glue, more possibilities of devices being repairable without breaking the banks a few years down the road. rMBP meeting "Gold" standard, above the Mac Mini? Repairability from ifixit: rMBP: 1/10, Mac Mini: 8/10. Now, tell me that has anything to do with innovation...

Who decided iFixit is the authority on such things? And how many average joes need to be able to take apart their laptops and tinker with them. How many as compared to those who want thinner and lighter designs? Apple's customer base is not iFixit or hobbyist geeks.

 

[Icaras]

Wow, really?

Are you suggesting that Apple should have just stuck with the flawed antenna design of the iphone 4 because it was prettier? Or the several other instances where Apple made a mistake and provided refunds, credits, or free product in response to outcry from the public?

This is like sticking your fingers in your ears and saying "nah, nah, nah, I can't hear you." Only a fool or idiot refuses to admit they made the wrong decision when faced with obvious facts.

4S did away with that antenna issue and still looks "pretty", so that defeats your iPhone analogy. Apple isn't a fool because they haven't made any right or wrong decision. It was a choice, a choice that was skewered thanks to the pressure of the press and the San Francisco's government's silly requirements. This is not an FCC regulation. It's simply an environmental certification which is totally optional and not obligatory.

I supported them not to side with EPEAT because I appreciate the direction that they are headed with their design team. And if they already qualify for Energy Star 5.0, then by all means, sidestep EPEAT and make the best looking and most functional products they can in the future.

 

[Rogifan]

It's not the fact that the glue is used but more that the batteries can't be removed for recycling due to the glue that makes it weird that it still got gold certified.

So how do we know for sure the batteries can't be removed for recycling then? Or are people suggesting iFixit is more reliable than EPEAT when it comes to determining the recyclability of a product?

 

[iBug2]

But isn't the issue more about a lack of recyclability due to difficulty in disassembly?

Why should it be? It may be slightly more difficult to disassembly but easy to recycle.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

I cannot stand waffling.
"Oh we made a decision. Oh, people are getting angry, let's change our decision."
Screw that. For better or for worse, make a choice and stick to it.

I see a bright future for you in politics.

...because nowhere else can you get away with sticking to bad decisions for the sake of sticking to them.

 

[aced411]

I would have had more respect for AAPL if they had held their ground...very strange move

I can't recall ever seeing blatant back Pedaling like this when Jobs was around. It shows a lack of direction/confidence even if it was the right thing to do. Interesting....

 

[Kabeyun]

Typical Apple..

a) Do something unilateral and drastic
b) Sit silent for a few days while watching backlash from upset customers and media
c) Offer half-hazard "I am not pissing on your head, it's just raining" explanation
d) Reverse (a)

+1 in general

As is so often the case, Apple does something without a public explanation and then has to deal with the PR debacle that follows.

Where I disagree is that this decision seemed to make sense. Apple's lifeblood is now in mobile devices, which are exempt from EPEAT, and laptops, which can't really be disassembled as EPEAT requires.