Is Apple Reversing its Stance on the Environment?

Apple AAPL is in a bit of trouble after it announced that it had withdrawn from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. The organization, which claims to be a "comprehensive environmental rating that helps identify greener computers and other electronic equipment," said on its website that the system was conceived and developed "through the collaboration of stakeholders from the business, advocacy, government and academic arenas." Used by "hundreds" of companies, universities and government agencies in dozens of countries, EPEAT aims to let buyers "bypass marketing hype and confusing specifications." Apple was a strong supporter of the EPEAT system. The company is also well-known for building unparalleled hype for its products through clever marketing techniques. But earlier this week, the Mac maker announced that it had pulled 39 green-certified products (including MacBooks, iMacs, and monitors) from the system. At the time, Robert Frisbee, CEO of EPEAT was quoted as saying that if the battery of MacBook Pro is clued to the case, "It means you can't recycle the case and you can't recycle the battery." Indeed, the next-gen MacBook Pro does not allow users to remove the battery. Critics are quite upset with Apple's decision to build the computer in a way that prevents them from upgrading the device. The EPEAT is equally unhappy. By designing the next-gen MacBook Pro in this regard, Apple would not have been able to continue meeting EPEAT standards. After Apple announced its withdrawal from the EPEAT system, officials with the San Francisco Department of Environment told CIO Journal that they were going to begin sending out letters to all 50 of the city's agencies to inform them that Apple laptops and desktops no longer qualify for purchase with city funds. Now Apple is responding to San Francisco's announcement. In a statement to The Loop (via CNNMoney), Apple representative Kristin Huguet said that the company "takes a comprehensive approach to measuring our environmental impact and all of our products meet the strictest energy efficiency standards backed by the US government, Energy Star 5.2." "We also lead the industry by reporting each product's greenhouse gas emissions on our website, and Apple products are superior in other important environmental areas not measured by EPEAT, such as removal of toxic materials," Huguet added. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ