“The sudden pullout, and subsequent return, of Apple from the EPEAT certification program it helped create increasingly appears to have been a dispute over the status that have been given to the Retina MacBook Pro if it were submitted, as the two 15-models with the high-resolution display may have been threatened with a lower-than-top ranking, a first for the company,” Electronista reports. “The Retina models now appear on the EPEAT website with Gold rankings.”
“The rating, which also assigns the same overall score to the Retina models as to the rest of Apple’s notebook lineup, may surprise critics who complained that the models are substantially less ‘repairable’ than other notebooks, and that the fusion of the display to the casing and the gluing of the battery make both components more difficult to recycle than in models that don’t have those features,” Electronista reports. “The scoring for the Retina MacBook Pro is identical in all categories to the scoring for the non-Retina 15-inch MacBook Pro.”
Electronista reports, “Apple’s downloadable PDF brochure for the Retina MacBook Pro’s environmental ratings already includes the new EPEAT Gold certification. Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Bob Mansfield issued a statement apologizing for Apple’s dropping of EPEAT to customers, but pointed out that the entire rest of the product line, though originally withdrawn from the organization’s consideration, was still rated ‘Gold,’ and that now the Retina and refreshed MacBook line had also achieved the same rating… Mansfield’s statement also hinted that Apple had returned to the EPEAT fold once it had won some concessions from the ranking body on improving its rating system, which is based loosely on the IEEE 1680.1 standard but has not changed in years. Mansfield implied that Apple was now working with EPEAT to bring its standards more closely in line with the full IEEE 1680.1 implementation, which could also see EPEAT expand its rankings to cover mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, devices that are not currently rated.”
Read more in the full article here.
Nidhi Subbaramanal reports for Fast Compnay, “Although Apple’s newest model, the MacBook Pro with Retina Display, has been listed as Gold certified in EPEAT’s public registry, EPEAT CEO Robert Frisbee told Fast Company that the computer has not been vetted by EPEAT itself.”
“The way the certification process works, companies are made aware of EPEAT standards and list products in the registry themselves. Later, EPEAT conducts what Frisbee called a ‘post-market verification’ of a selection of products–sort of like a spot check of select product lines,” Subbaramanal reports. “‘We choose certain product lines and certain requirements each year, and go through 6 different rounds each year. It’s both a broad and narrow view,’ Frisbee says, adding, ‘It is not a 100% verification of all products each year.'”
“Due to the recent focus on the relationship between Apple and EPEAT, though, Frisbee says it’s likely the MacBook Pro with Retina display will jump the queue and an EPEAT verification of the computer will likely be a priority,” Subbaramanal reports. “‘We have a process to establish surveillance rounds like that,’ Frisbee said, inspired by ‘market events.’ As to how soon we’ll see a report: ‘Sorry, I don’t have a time frame for it,’ Frisbee said.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Entreat. Retreat. Browbeat. Drumbeat. EPEAT defeat complete.
As “Apple Authorized Service Provider,” replied to a post at the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, “The industrial-strength glue easily releases the MacBook Pro with Retina display’s batteries after warming on the case side from a common hair dryer. The batteries remain intact. They are removed with a common a putty knife. The same way iPads and iPhones are disassembled. A 5-point (pentapoint) screwdriver opens the case. Everything else inside comes out with ease. Construction that lasts twice as long and uses less material is greener than one that lasts half as long [and] uses more material.”
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Jeremy” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Apple: Effective immediately, all eligible Apple products are back on EPEAT – July 13, 2012
U.S. Federal government rethinking buying Apple computers over EPEAT withdrawal – July 12, 2012
Apple explains exit from government-backed EPEAT list – July 11, 2012
San Francisco to block Mac purchases citing lack of environmental EPEAT certification – July 10, 2012
Apple pulls products from U.S. gov’t-backed ‘EPEAT’ green electronics list – July 7, 2012
Why Apple’s sealed, non-user-serviceable MacBook Pro with Retina display is a very good thing – June 22, 2012
Teardown of MacBook Pro’s Retina display shows off ‘engineering marvel’ – June 19, 2012
Teardown of MacBook Pro with Retina Display reveals soldered RAM, glued-in battery – June 13, 2012
AnandTech reviews Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display: Editor’s Choice; first Mac to ever receive one – June 23, 2012
AP reviews Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display: An epiphany, makes all other screens look dull and fuzzy – June 16, 2012
Reg Hardware reviews Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display: Drool-worthy – June 15, 2012
USA Today reviews Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display: Powerfully robust, an object of desire – June 14, 2012
ABC News reviews Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display: If you have the money, this is the one to buy – June 14, 2012
Engadget reviews Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display: Redefines the professional notebook – June 13, 2012
PC Magazine reviews Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display: Editor’s choice – June 13, 2012
Apple debuts new TV ad for MacBook Pro with Retina display: ‘Every Dimension’ (with video) – June 13, 2012
AnandTech analyzes Apple’s new MacBook Pro Retina display: ‘Everything is ridiculously crisp’ – June 12, 2012
Hands-on with Apple’s new MacBook Pro with Retina display (with video) – June 12, 2012
Apple unveils all new MacBook Pro with stunning Retina display – June 11, 2012
Comical.
EPEAT IS FOR COMMIES.
No, China: Criminal Nation is for ‘COMMIES’. And I bet you don’t care. Just keep sending your money over there for cheap stuff, feeding their ever expanding military so they can further intimidate and annex the rest of Asia and deplete the USA of a future, blahblahblah.
Get some perspective please, anonymous coward ‘Nanny’.
It appears that “Apple Authorized Service Provider” has had his post deleted by the blog’s author.
Indeed, post is nowhere to be seen.
I added this reply. It’s visible right now, wonder if it will get removed as well?
—————
The iPad 2 is glued together, yet is easily opened using a heat gun – see step 4 in the teardown:
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPad-2-Wi-Fi-Teardown/5071/1
As such, why should gluing in the battery of the new Mac Book Pro Retina be such a big deal when it lets them build the machines using less material (which is shown in part by how much thinner and lighter is it than the non-retina version) ?
AND, the most important thing is recyclability and not whether glue is involved. Apple will take any consumer electronics device made by any company and dispose of it in an environmentally friendly manner.
What’s up with Apple flip flopping all over the place?
Suspicious gold EPEAT certification? I sense a bribe.
This doesn’t look like a flip flop to me. It looks like a power move. Apple said it was removing it’s products because the EPEAT had outdated standards. Now the EPEAT seems to be ready to update it’s standards, so Apple is back.
Ryan, it’s no “flip flop” as you put it.
“The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple notes that even EPEAT acknowledges that many of its standards are outdated, with Apple apparently believing that those criteria have become too restrictive and do not address the full gamut of the company’s environmental commitments.”.
Even mobile devices have never been included, but they will be soon.
Apple stood up for what it believes, and since Apple helped start the EPEAT, it sent a clear message for them to start updating to include the newer technology and engineering standards used since design in the mobile and computers field change more quickly then most other fields.
Bribe….. Very funny, it’s just to redickulious to even consider, look at the charter for the EPEAT and you’ll see why your comment is so far fetched.
Oh yes a bribe, that makes sense. Because what you need to do right before you are going to bribe someone is make a huge public stir. That way everyone is looking.
You need to stop hating it is affecting your ability to reason.
Bribe? Understand some may see it that way. IMHO, looks more like a nudge to move forward and improve standards (change).
When you’re dealing with a corrupt judge you have two choices. Pay the bribe or poke his weak spot.
Masterfully handled by Apple. Not only do they get the Retina MBP on the list, but they also update the standards to one say get mobiles on the list and also bring more awareness about EPEAT and the companies and products that are not certified.
As I was saying in a previous EPEAT post,
“Apple forced EPEAT standards into the limelight because they were unwilling to update their standards……EPEAT wants to play this game, fine, Apple can play this game just as well and bluffing isn’t something Apple does.”
EPEAT, you got served!
I think Apple did this to bring attention to the other companies that aren’t on the EPEAT list. This seems to be a self manipulation tactic brilliantly played. Apple is playing the all eyes on them playbook while making everyone else less relevant. By controlling the media on what they want the focus to be, they are able to maneuver in the background. Nice.
Yes, yes let us spin it so Apple is a hero here. Indeed not some collosal PR screwup, but a brilliant ploy to aid consumers. Really? Is this really what you folks think? Talk about fanboys, who else could see it as a positive for Apple?
Keeps Apple in the news and the focus on them. Not about any fanboyism even though that’s what this site is about. It’s about control and manipulation. Way too common… Wanna sell more gas?? Say there is a shortage… Wanna sell more diamonds? Say there is a shortage… It’s all manipulation and keeping the focus off of other things.
How so joe? How can this be construed as a PR screwup?
Even if you read nothing else into it (forcing the reluctance to update the EPEAT standard and those companies not wanting to update into the light) and read it as:
Apple withdrew support saying that it (EPEAT) no longer reflected green products, EPEAT saw the error in their ways and agreed to work with apple, Apple relented and placed all of it’s products back on the EPEAT list.
How is that a PR nightmare?
Seems that scenario make Apple look even more flexible and adaptive.
So you see… This whole thing was an “intentional mistake” all along, to pressure EPEAT into making changes in their evaluation criteria and get even more media attention on the “greenness” of Apple products. That “apology letter” from Bob Mansfield was probably written and ready to go, WEEKS ago.
Apple manipulation at its best (Steve Jobs would be proud!).
Went to the article MDN linked to at the Electronics Takeback Coalition web site, but couldn’t find the comment by “Apple Authorized Service Provider”. Have they removed it or something? Searching the net for things like “macbook pro retina hairdryer” I could only find this article.
I hate public relations political game playing. This is all just BS on steroids. Whatever makes whoever happy about something or other.
*Puke*Gag*Spew*
:-Q******
Meanwhile, Apple remains the company with the greatest integrity and attention to green reforms on the planet. No frosting with sprinkles required.
Apple upset that a government agency is stuck in the past and refuses to update its standards that no longer make since till . . . Apple does something that bring it to the public’s attention, and now the agency says it makes sense to update?
Predictable.