Apple Announces iPod Recycling Program
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 06. 4.05
Apple has launched a recycling program for its iPods. iPods contain lead and other toxic substances. People who bring their iPods to one of the Apple stores nationwide to be recycled. They will also receive a 10% discount toward the purchase of a new iPod. The discount is only good the day people drop off their older iPod, iPod mini or iPod photo. Apple's announcement comes after recent criticism and demonstrations by environmental groups, who say the company hasn't done enough to promote recycling of its products, which often end up in landfills in the United States and in developing countries.
Apple emphasized in a press release that any hazardous material would not be shipped overseas for processing.
Apple's newest initiative only affects its smallest devices. The limited scope of the program prompted Gopal Dayaneni, sustainable technology program director at the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, to call the move "a nice baby step" to solving the problem of electronic waste.
:: BusinessWeek
Lets not forget about all the fuel wasted sending iPods back to Apple for battery replacements and hard drive repairs.
Lloyd, that's a few orders of magnitude lower than the amount of fuel used to ship *books*. Seriously, pick your battles.
Legislation to cut interstate highway funding and transfer it to rail upgrades, especially electrified rail, would be a huge help, and make this a non-issue.