Apple Attacked Over Pollution in China

Large multinational corporations are often accused of taking advantage of lax environmental laws in developing countries to reduce costs. But China is signaling a new willingness to reject environmental degradation in exchange for jobs and economic growth. A report published by five Chinese non-governmental organizations alleges that technological behemoth Apple has used suppliers with public records of environmental violations and a history of taking “advantage of the loopholes in developing countries’ environmental management systems,” report Leslie Hook and Kathrin Hille for the Financial Times. Amid growing public awareness, environmental groups continue to increase their monitoring, and Beijing is tightening environmental regulations. Suppliers are a trade secret among electronics manufacturers. Global electronic firms like Apple outsource most or all of their manufacturing, and the Chinese expect the multinationals to police their suppliers, preventing injuries, poisonings and other public-relations disasters. – YaleGlobal