Monday, October 17, 2011

MacNN | Pollution concerns force shutdown at MacBook Air supplier:

Metal casing supplier Catcher Technology has partially shutdown a plant in eastern China, following environmental complaints made to the local government by area residents, says the Wall Street Journal. Catcher elaborates that the complaints revolved around a "strange odor" coming from the complex. The facility primarily supplies casing for the MacBook Air, as well as some smartphones.

The complaints may also reinforce allegations that Apple uses known polluters as suppliers. Apple has been resistant to address or even acknowledge the problem; the company has even refused to share the names of suppliers, despite many of them being well-known to analysts, NGOs and the media. Over 20 Apple suppliers are thought to be guilty of breaking environmental laws in recent years.