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Details of Apple/CEH toxin lawsuit emerge

updated 05:30 pm EDT, Mon October 15, 2007

Details of Apple/CEH suit

More details have emerged regarding the Center for Environmental Health's lawsuit against Apple over hazardous materials allegedly included with the iPhone. The suit is based on a Greenpeace report from earlier this month that shows the presence of PVCs and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the handheld. Specifically, the CEH complaint alleges that the iPhone headphone cables contain DEHP (Di-ethylhexyl Phthalate) and DBP (Di-n-butyl Phthalate). CEH says that usage of the headphones results in human exposure via dermal absorption directly through the skin, ingestion via hand to mouth contact after touching or using the product, and ingestion when consumers "place the products in their mouths during normal use."

CEH cites California's Proposition 65 law, under which products that can expose consumers to phthalates or other chemicals that are reproductive toxins or carcinogens must carry a warning label. The iPhone carries no such alert label, with CEH stating "No clear and reasonable warning is provided with these products regarding the carcinogenic or reproductive hazards of DEHP or DBP."

In the violation complaint, CEH threatens to file a citizen enforcement lawsuit against Apple unless the company enters into a binding written agreement to recall iPhones already sold, provide clear and reasonable warnings for future shipped iPhones, and pay an appropriate civil penalty.

 
Previous Comments

iPods

10/15, 05:45pm reply

iPod and iPhone headphone cables are not the same?

Peter Bonte

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

IF it's true

10/15, 05:48pm reply

That the phones content contains materials that violate California law than that was a HUGE oversight on Apple's part. Is it possible a manufacturer (whoever it's out-sourced to) could build something with illegal materials without a company knowing about it? IF it's true how do you prove responsibility?

mgpalma

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

Phthalates

10/15, 05:49pm reply

If they are scared of phthalates they better stay away from almost all plastic products.

Ganesha

Senior User

Joined: Jul 2002

0

CEH--

10/15, 05:49pm reply

The CEH is a company that uses Prop 65 to extort money from companies. Not long ago they tried to sue a manufacturer of colored sand used by children because of the silica in, that might cause silicosis. SAND!!!! That means that sand on beaches, golf courses etc should have been labeled under the Prop 65 law.

Note, that they have launched into this suit without checking the other idiots, Greenpeace's, findings. Lawyers and charlatans like these are seeing Apple as their personal banking system.

I hope these people are trodden on STAT, just like the cockroaches they are. Pitiful.

rjwill246

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2003

0

Simple Fix

10/15, 06:12pm reply

Apple just needs to put a sticker on the iPhone like they do on those little moisture absorbing packets: DON'T EAT THIS!

cebritt

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2000

0

Stupid

10/15, 06:27pm reply

I think it is really time for us to push for tort reform before these stupid lawsuits bring irreparable economic harm to this country .

About the headphones , it is a scare tactic to get money from Apple and to force them to submit to Greenpeace demands .It's corporate blackmail and it should be treated as such .

Stegabot

Junior Member

Joined: Feb 2001

0

note to self

10/15, 07:03pm reply

Don't chew on iPhone any more

Glasspusher

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2000

0

warning

10/15, 07:35pm reply

The Surgeon General has determined that smoking iPhones can be hazardous to your health :)

lockhartt

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2000

+1

greenpiece

10/15, 08:45pm reply

The green in green piece has always stood for money, not serious environnmental concerns. These grubbing b******* are no different than ambulance-chasers, except they chase "concerns" instead.

I would like to see AL Gore step up, and tell Green piece they are full of s***. Organic, of course.

But then, Green piece might tell Al he's full of s*** too.

robttwo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 2005

-1

Eat s***, greeners

10/15, 08:56pm reply

I wish the greeners and Greenpeace would shut the f*** up. Nobody asked them to poke their noses in.

Mr. Strat

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2002

-1

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