Groups ask Apple to end toxic chemical use<article>
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<p>Environmental pressure groups and human rights organizations sent a joint letter to Apple’s chief environmental officer on Tuesday asking her to eliminate toxic chemicals from the company’s supply chain.</p><p>The letter is the latest in a string of efforts by such groups to get Apple to pressure its suppliers into halting the use of benzene and n-hexane, both of which are toxic and have been linked to worker illness in Chinese factories.</p><p>N-hexane is used to clean screens, and prolonged exposure to it can cause nerve damage or paralysis, while benzene is a carcinogen used as a cleaning agent for electronic components.</p><p>Apple isn’t the largest phone maker and is far from alone in having the chemicals used in manufacturing of its products, but is being targeted because it’s seen as the most influential among a number of brand-name electronics companies.</p><p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/2361920/groups-ask-apple-to-end-toxic-chemical-use.html#jump">To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here[/url]</p></section></article>
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Groups ask Apple to end toxic chemical use
