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| File photo: Five Chinese environmental NGOs have issued a report blasting Apple and its suppliers for profiting at the cost of the local environment. |
Five Chinese environmental NGOs have issued a report blasting Apple and its suppliers for profiting at the cost of the local environment. The report which records every detail of the seven-month investigation has unveiled another side of the Apple company.
Apple products are popular for their supreme functionality and creative design. But while fans snap up these i-products, people in China are paying for the production procedure with their health.
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| File photo: Five Chinese environmental NGOs have issued a report blasting Apple and its suppliers for profiting at the cost of the local environment. |
The report says toxic discharges from suspected Apple suppliers have been encroaching on local communities. It alleges that 27 Apple suppliers have severe pollution problems, from toxic gases to heavy metal sludge. The report claims a village nearby a supplier's factory experienced a phenomenal rise in cases of cancer.
It also blames Apple for taking advantage of loopholes in developing countries' environmental management systems to grab super profits. It criticized the company for refusing to make the identities of its suppliers public and fulfilling its responsibility to disclose information about the environmental effects of its suppliers' actions.
Facing the charges, the technology giant proposed on Wednesday to hold a conference call with the NGOs to discuss their recent findings about its suppliers. They also said the company is committed to "maintaining the highest standards for social responsibility throughout its supply chain".
But the report found a different story. And lawyers in China say even if the affected residents successfully sue Apple, the company does not necessarily have to pay compensation for any misdeeds committed by its suppliers.
That's why the NGOs suggest buyers of the devices make "green" choices that help Apple establish a supply chain that does not harm the environment.
(CNTV September 2, 2011)
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