New Apple iPod Recycling Program offers incentive
In response to mounding pressure from environmental activists, Apple today announced a free recycling program for its iPod digital music players.
iPods received for recycling in the US will be processed domestically and no hazardous material will be shipped overseas, Apple said in a statement to the press.
At the company's annual shareholders meeting this past April, a group environmentalists drew the ire of Apple chief executive Steve Jobs by attacking Appleâs policies on recycling through picketing and other means.
Specifically, the group charged that the iPod is an "environmental time-bomb" because it contains lead and other toxins that will eventually end up in landfills somewhere.
At the time, Jobs fired back saying consumers often throw away old electronics batteries. He also recognized that tens of thousands of iPod owners had already replaced their iPod batteries through Appleâs $99 Battery Replacement Program, which properly disposes of the old batteries.
More details of Appleâs worldwide recycling programs are available at Apple's environmental website.
17 Comments
This is a responsible thing for Apple to do. I have a 2002 iPod that is useless now due to heavy use. I use a Shuffle now. Someday I will turn in my first wife... er I mean iPod.
That's fucking awesome. Why can't every company do this.
[B]In response to mounding pressure from environmental activists, Apple today announced a free recycling program for its iPod digital music players.
Bravo. Too many companies put the burden on the buyer to recycle old hardware, and as a result people don't want to have to pay to haul the stuff away. Also, often local trash haulers and recycling collectors will point the finger at one another and say that the other is responsible for collecting, say, that old monitor -- and so eventually it ends up dumped somewhere.
If more resellers would offer no-cost disposal methods and provide dropoff or pickup or return shipping for old goods, more computers, TVs, and other items with hazardous materials in them would be properly destroyed and their components melted down for re-use.
Apple's offer of a 10% discount on a replacement makes the idea of recycling even more appealing than it already is. I'm guessing that a number of people will voluntarily recycle even without the incentive.
I ship back used color laser printer consumables to HP for recycling -- I don't get a cash incentive for doing it, but they make it easy to do by providing a return shipping label and instructions. Even if I weren't an environmental science degree holder (which I am!), I'd do this.
Unfortunately, not enough companies realize the value of conservation and realizing that their products don't last forever. If only so much of the 'burden' of doing the right thing wasn't on the end user ...
Thanks, Apple!
And thanks to the activists who helped bring this about. You've just helped with the recycling of most portable music players sold
Good work--and handled when it SHOULD be handled... before a big problem develops.
And 10% off a new iPod? Planet, schmanet, that ain't pocket change on an iPod Photo
(I hope nobody is recycling their iPod Photo already!)
The cheapskate in me has to ask...would that 10% off still apply when buying at the Education price? I figure it's gotta be but does anyone know how Apple has handled these sort of discounts in the past?
I don't want to get rid of my old 2g but, imagine a photo for like $288!