Apple Bans Use of Toxic Chemicals in iPhone

  Apple Bans Use of Toxic Chemicals

 in iPhone 

  Apple decided to order its suppliers to cease using benzene and n-hexane during the final assembly of iPhones, iPads, iPods, Mac computers and various accessories. Apple is also requiring its factories to test all substances to ensure that they don't contain benzene or n-hexane, even if the chemicals are not listed in the ingredients.
   
  Benzene is linked to leukemia if not handled properly and n-hexane has been linked to nerve damage. The substances are often found in the solvents used in cleaning machines and electronic components.
   
  Apple is still allowing the chemicals during early production phases of its products in production that primarily takes place at hundreds of other factories besides the ones responsible for the final assembly of the devices.  Apple is also lowering the maximum amount of benzene and n-hexane in materials used during those phases of production as well.

  A thorough four-month investigation at 22 factories found no evidence that benzene and n-hexane endangered the more than 500,000 people who work at the plants, according to Apple. No traces of the chemicals were detected at 18 of the factories and the amounts found at the other four factories fell within acceptable safety levels, the Cupertino, California, company said.