Apple has introduced the new fourth generation iPod nano, which CEO Steve Jobs says is the the “cleanest,” and most “toxic-free” iPod that Apple has ever built.
The new iPod nano is made using arsenic-free glass, and is free of Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs), mercury and polyvinylchloride (PVC), and is made of more recyclable materials, Macworld reports. You can see the nano’s short environmental checklist at the bottom of this page.
Greenpeace has already chimed in, giving Apple kudos for the new design. But in a blog post, the group was quick to indicate that Apple could do more:
While these iPods may rock what would really shake up the computer industry is if Apple sticks to its promise and becomes the first company to make personal computers free of toxic PVC and BFR’s. That would be truly groundbreaking announcement.
Still, this is a step up from the way Greenpeace has lambasted Apple in the past. Most recently, the group has slammed the iPhone over the use of hazardous chemicals.
Apple has has touted its commitment to green technologies on a special page on its Web site called “A Greener Apple.”
This hardware update aside, earlier this year, PC Magazine reported that by focusing on software upgrades to Apple’s iPhone, Apple TV and iPod Touch, instead of hardware upgrades, Apple and Steve Jobs are making the world greener.