Earlier this week we reported about a collective of Chinese environmental groups accusing Apple for polluting the environment.

The group sustained that some of Apple’s chain suppliers involved with the production of the iPhone and iPad, were found violating the law and endangering public health by discharging heavy metals and other toxins.

Apple commented on Thursday that the company is committed to “driving the highest standards of social responsibility” in its supply chain.

“We require our suppliers provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect, and use environmentally responsible manufacturing processes wherever Apple products are made,” it said.

For a big corporation like Apple, it can become a headache to police supply chains: scandals over labour, environmental, safety and last but not least quality problems.

This last claim accuses seven facilities with disposal of hazardous materials that has created water pollution problems that may have led to some cancer cases in the area surrounding two specific factories.

An official with the government said that the situation has actually improved “It’s true that it smells here, but the level of pollution is actually better than national standards,” said the official.

The report also named Apple’s main assemblers for the iPhone and iPad, Foxconn, which assembles the handsets in several Chinese mailand locations.


(Via: Shanghai Daily)