Our relationship with EPEAT has become stronger as a result of this experience...
translation:
they know we will dump them if they don't approve our kit
Mere days after the City of San Francisco announced that it would ban departmental purchases of Apple products over environmental concerns, Cupertino has reversed its decision to withdraw from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) green standards program. "We’ve recently heard from many loyal Apple …
Quote And crank the RDF generators up to 11!
Exactly.
Is it me being particularly thick on a Saturday morning or there is just no way for its gear to stay certified. Key requirement is ease of dissassembly for recycling purposes. Disassemble a new MacBook Pro or Macbook air anyone?
The really interesting part of the EPEAT CEO's statement wasn't included in this article:
We look forward to Apple’s strong and creative thoughts on ongoing standards development. The outcome must reward new directions for both design and sustainability, simultaneously supporting the environment and the market for all manufacturers’ elegant and high-performance products.
Sounds like EPEAT will be adjusting their adjusting their rules to bring them into line with Apple's standards.
Just takes a couple of screwdrivers, go check ifixit.com.
It's taking it apart in a way that you can then fix it *and then put it back together again* that is tricky for some parts, like the screen and battery/case assembly. This is not a consideration for recycling, where all the bits are to be separated permanently.
Nutter? Frisbee? Does the environmental lobby actually want to be taken seriously these days?
Or is somebody having a laugh with the names released to the press; it's only a matter of time before we see headlines like "Environmental spokespersons Mike Ockislong and Wanta Filyuep stated today..."
"Other officials will doubtless be pleased, as well. Many governmental bodies require EPEAT certification for IT purchases, including the US Department of Defense, NASA, Homeland Security, and the governments of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand."
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/07/13/kitsap_honour/
The particular machine you have in mind just received EPEAT Gold Certification, so you should have no worries about it's environmental credentials.
How is it possible that it has attained this certification when the bloody battery is still glued to the case, has someone tweaked the EPEAT requirements while no one was looking? If the laptop cannot easily be separated into its component parts for recycling whats the point. Looking at the "End of life" requirements on the website, anything glued or requiring manual separation is only an option???
I don't understand how they can glue the batteries to the case, but offer a same day in-store service at Apple stores to replace batteries in even the newest Macbook..
http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/service/battery/
So I'm not getting this whole glued in thing. If they can replace the battery in store, therefore some smiling Apple droid can get the battery out fairly easily and can also put the new one in without making a mess with glue (or is it just me that happens to when using it?)
Apple has a battery kit that includes the battery and the top part of cover, they just replace that as a unit in store or at any authorised service centre.
Of course this results in extra aluminium but on the other hand they don't need to contain the entire battery in a polycarbonate protective case as regular batteries, since the computer itself acts as as shield. As we know from the difficulties in recycling old CDs, polycarbonate is not as recyclable as aluminium.
As with all Apple spare parts, I'm thinking in time we'll see these same kits being sold in parallel channels.
Thank you for the information. The first sensible post I have read on El Reg regarding the new Macbook batteries and the only time someone has given proper information rather than jumping up and down like a 6 year old shouting "glue is bad".
When you consider the old removable batteries had a slab of aluminium on their base, as well as being encased in polycarbonate, it might actually be the new batteries are more environmentally friendly not less.
Indeed if they are fitted in the store or at a dealer, the battery will almost certainly be recycled and won't end up in the end users bin. I'm guessing Apple will indeed have a way of separating the battery from the aluminium for recycling because there will be money to be had from the scrap metal.
The actual big downside is still cost and inconvenience. But then again it is a big battery.
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As another poster pointed out, you don't need to deglue the batteries because the mounting goes with it.
It makes sense when you realise that normal batteries are encased in polycarbonate but the new Apple ones are not. It looks like Apple will replace the battery and the bit its mounted onto. They'll take away the old assembly and recycle it themselves. Presumably they have the tech to separate the batteries prior to recycling.
It really doesn't appear to be as sinister as everyone is making out.
"On the contrary, he writes, Apple would like to see the existing EPEAT standards strengthened to include more of the environmental protection practices Cupertino uses in its manufacturing today"
Our products are designed to enhance profitability but hey that means we can recycle more.
Apple are looking more and more the bull in the china shop when it comes to marketing.
So does that mean that any iPads purchased by US Governmental depts need to be sent back because they do not meet the requirements?
Or does this EPEAT requirement only apply to stuff that isn't "cool"?
It's not just Apple though, there are no tablets that are EPEAT registered in the US whatsoever.