Labor Rights group says Apple suppliers need to stop using n-hexane and benzene

Mar 13, 2014 15:47 GMT  ·  By

Environmental watchdogs China Labor Watch and Green America are calling on Apple to “stop needlessly exposing workers in Chinese manufacturing facilities to toxic chemicals now causing severe illnesses.”

China Labor Watch tells The Guardian, “Together with Green America, we demand that Apple takes responsibility and removes chemicals like the solvents n-hexane and the carcinogen benzene, which is known to cause leukaemia providing its workers with a legal standard of welfare.”

There have been reports in the past where workers who made and / or cleaned iDevice components got ill because of substances like n-hexane.

Apple’s suppliers use it because it reportedly dries three times faster than traditional solvents, allowing workers to move at a faster pace cleaning components like display cover glass. Excessive exposure to n-hexane has led to nerve damage and even paralysis, according to medical experts.

Benzene is also used in factories contracted by Apple to make and / or assemble various parts or whole devices. This substance has been deemed a carcinogen that can cause reproductive abnormalities and leukemia, according to the paper.

Although Apple maintains a Supplier Responsibility Report that touts all of the company’s efforts to stay green and mind the health of the workers making iPhones and iPads, the papers apparently don’t mention these two harmful substances.

The company says it requires all of its suppliers to meet or even exceed safety standards set by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha). According to the UK-based publication, the limit is “500 parts per million (ppm) for n-hexane in general industry or 1.8g per cubic metre, and 1ppm for benzene.”

The Guardian has obtained a statement from Apple following the accusations from the two pressure groups.

A spokesperson for the Cupertino giant reportedly said, “Over the past decade, Apple has led the industry in removing toxics like lead and mercury, brominated flame retardants and PVC from our products, which is good for workers as well as consumers.”

The company added, “When it comes to handling chemicals and toxic substances, we require that our suppliers around the world meet or exceed respected US safety standards such as Osha, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.”

The statement continues with a brief history of Apple’s strivings to get suppliers to obey local laws regarding worker safety and to educate employees at these plants regarding potentially hazardous substances.

“Last year, we conducted nearly 200 factory inspections which focused on hazardous chemicals, to make sure those facilities meet our strict standards. We also provide suppliers with training in hazardous chemical management, industrial hygiene and personal protection equipment as part of the Apple Supplier EHS Academy in Suzhou, China,” Apple said.