What is Chronic Toxicity caused by iPhone? A Myth or Reality.

Posted on March 17, 2008
Filed Under Uncategorized

The other day I was looking through Yahoo! Answers and came across a peculiar question about iPhone’s toxic levels.

The question is the following:

“What’s the conclusion about toxic in iphone?

I remember reading an article few months ago, about the toxic in the materials used, so what’s the conclusion?”

I decided to plunge deeper into the matter and browse through the headlines which deal with the problem. And eventually make up an answer to the question is iPhone really harmful to my health.

First of all, I decided to find out what Apple thinks about the matter. Here is what I have found.

Apple spokesman Steve Dowling told ABCNEWS.com:

“Like all Apple products worldwide, iPhone complies with ROHS [Restriction of Hazardous Substances], the world’s toughest restrictions on toxic substances in electronics. As we have said, Apple will voluntarily eliminate the use of PVC and brominated flame retardants by the end of 2008.”

So you see, that according to Apple iPhone is perfectly all right, and even more they are VOLUNTARILY eliminate all the potentially harmful substances. Sounds like altruism, doesn’t it?

What are the claims of environmentalists to Apple?

According to the conservation group’s report, scientists at Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the U.K.’s University of Exeter who dismantled the phone and tested 18 of its components found brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Greenpeace claims BFRs can release toxic chemicals when recycled, and products with PVC have come under fire in the past few years for potentially leaking harmful chemicals.

But is that PVC really healthy?

Wikipedia.org claims:

“According to an article on FOXNews.com, “PVC plastic has been used safely for more than 70 years in a variety of medical and commercial applications and humans. No reports of adverse human health effects have been reported from intravenous (IV) bags and medical tubing made with PVC, according to a 2002 report by the Food and Drug Administration.”

So you see that PVC is not that dangerous as it might seem.

What are other claims?

Dr David Santillo, Senior Scientist at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories, co-ordinated the project and deconstructed the iPhone for analysis.

Dr Santillo said:

“Two of the phthalate plasticisers found at high levels in the headphone cable are classified as ‘toxic to reproduction, category 2’ because of their long-recognised ability to interfere with the sexual development in mammals.”

While the use of phthalates is not prohibited in mobile phones, it is banned from use in all toys and childcare articles sold in Europe under the European Directive 2005/84/EC.

But in fact iPhone is not a TOY, it is a sophisticated device. And parents don’t want their children not be exposed to danger they should buy their kids Siemens A50. A good solution, isn’t it?

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