Though environmentalists are revving up their case against computer-related toxic waste, Apple seems to have taken the right steps to avoid further problems for the company regarding the issue, according to a USA Today article entitled Environmentalists take their battle to boardrooms.
Though lots of folks don’t know it, but computers and other electronic devices contain toxic chemicals that can leak into the environment when they’re thrown away. About 1.8 million tons of electronic waste were created in the USA in 1999, according to the latest Environmental Protection Agency data. This includes old computers that end up in landfills.
Social investment firm Calvert Group filed shareholder resolutions last week against Gateway and Hewlett-Packard, asking them to study the environmental impact of used personal computers, USA Today reports. The goal: to force changes at several personal computer companies.
USA Today says Gateway isn’t keen on performing the study Calvert requested. Compaq and HP, in the middle of controversial merger plans, are considering it. But Apple has already agreed to perform the study Calvert requested. Because Apple is cooperating, Calvert withdrew its resolution against the company, according to USA Today.
The story adds that IBM has refused to do the study. But Calvert’s resolution against it was forced off the ballot on a technicality and the company says it’s still working with Calvert. There’s been no resolution passed against Dell Computer. However, it holds its annual shareholder meeting later than many other computer makers and is still negotiating with activists, according to USA Today.