Apple Keeps It Clean With iPhones, So Why Can't Dell?

The headline is part of an inquiry by Greenpeace on why the heck Dell won’t stop using harmful chemicals in their products, while Apple has readily switched from using some health-hazardous material.

You can always count on Greenpeace to bring these issues to light, and you can always count on us to rub it in just a little bit more.

According to the press release by Greenpeace, Dell made a few environmental commitments that they’ve now backed out of.

In July 2006, Dell posted the following statement online committing itself to the elimination of PVC plastic and BFRs from all products by the end of 2009. This statement remained on the Dell website until February of 2008.
“Dell is committed to eliminate in our new products all remaining uses of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by 2009, as acceptable alternatives are identified that will not compromise product performance and will lower product health and environmental impacts.”

Well, Dell backed out of their non-binding deal (and why shouldn’t they? Corporations aren’t made to be humane, friendly or help evolve the living conditions of humanity, they’re made for greed.) and Greenpeace has called them on it.

The new commitment by Dell was a little less eco-friendly, and was limited to a set number of products. The revised commitment was as follows:

“By the end of 2011, all newly introduced Dell personal computing products will be BFR-, CFR- and PVC-free.”

Yep, there you go. So by the end of next year, some of Dell’s products will be a little less harmful to your health…maybe.

For a complete listing on why the aforementioned chemicals are harmful, be sure to check it out on Greenpeace Official Website.