When it comes to image loss, even the biggest company may bend. When
EPEAT has revoked the EPEAT logo for Apple products as Apple has decided
not to certify new Apple hardware anymore, there were great rumors from
environment-savvy customers. But the main point could have been another.

The USA have a rule that 95 persent of the used hardware has to be EPEAT-certified. Without the EPEAT logo, the chances decrease vastly agains EPEAT-certified products when it comes to new purchases from public authorities which are encouraged to only purchase EPEAT-certified hardware in order to help the environment a bit. It is rare that Apple has to reconsider decisions such as the loss of the EPEAT-certification for their hardware. But the loss of lots of public service customers seems to be more hurting.

That’s why Bob Mansfield, SVP Hardware Department of Apple, has decided to have all Apple devices again certified by EPEAT. He also said that his aspects about the environment have never changed and admitted that the initial abandonment of the EPEAT certification was a big mistake.

Odd however that the fears about the EPEAT-logo for the new MacBook Pro Retina were given as the battery is glued into the device making it more difficult for recycling. Now the same device has an EPEAT-Gold logo on it. I still wonder how that’s possible? Maybe some money has been transferred between Apple and EPEAT? Or has EPEAT lowered the standards for receiving the EPEAT Gold logo which needs fulfilment of all eight environment criteria plus 75% of the optional criteria? Nobody knows for sure what has happened but it’s odd ayways!