Apple insists iPhone will be BFR and PVC free by 2009

Apple has today attempted to downplay criticism from environmentalists in the wake of yesterday's Greenpeace report revealing that the new iPhone contains two types of hazardous substances.

In a short statement Apple said that "like all Apple products worldwide, iPhone complies with RoHS [the restriction on hazardous substances directive], the world's toughest restrictions on toxic substances in electronics".

The company also reiterated commitments made by chief executive Steve Jobs that it "will voluntarily eliminate the use of PVC and BFRs [brominated flame retardants] by the end of 2008".

However, Greenpeace maintained its criticism of the company, claiming that the statement added to the impression that Apple failed to understand its concerns with the iPhone.

"Our report showed that the iPhone is compliant with RoHS – that was never the issue," Zeina Alhajj, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner. "But it includes chemicals that are on the list to be banned, chemicals the company has itself said it will remove and chemicals that other phone manufacturers have managed to remove."

She added that as the iPhone was the first Apple product to be released following Steve Jobs' commitment earlier this year to make the company a leader in environmental policy it should have embraced the highest environmental best practices.

"We thought as this was the new iPhone it would be part of Apple's new green image," she said. "But when we asked Apple for details on the chemical nature of the components it failed to reply and when we tested it we found that these chemicals were there."

Alhajj welcomed the commitment to eliminate PVC and BFRs by the end of 2008, but insisted that it would have been possible for the company to remove the toxic components sooner. "All the mobile manufacturers use the same suppliers so if Nokia, Sony and Motorola can get rid of these substances in some of their phones then Apple can do the same," she said. "The expertise and technology to do this is out there."