Apple disregards environmental and health standards in favor of its profits

Apple is accused of disregarding environmental and health care standards in favor of its mercenary goals. Environmental groups in China report that Apple pays little or no attention to environmental and work safety standards.

The Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE) published a critical report on the Apple supply chain, accusing the company of only caring about the "price and quality" of its products.

"We've found that Apple isn't honoring its commitment in ensuring its supply chain's work safety and environmental responsibility and giving dignity and respect to the workers," Ma Jun of IPE told Reuters.

"In some ways they drive the suppliers to cut corners to win their contracts."

In response, Apple said that its own supplier responsibility reports "document the progress of our extensive auditing program since 2006."

Last year a tide of suicides Foxconn's campus in Shenzhen were attributed to working conditions but Apple strongly denied this.

The use of N-hexane at a plant in Suzhou, a toxic substance banned in many countries, caused controversy in January 2010 and IPE claimed that at least 47 workers in the factory, which makes LCD screens, fell ill.