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Apple sued former recycling partner GEEP Canada (now part of Quantum Lifecycle Partners) for allegedly stealing and reselling at least 103,845 iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches originally contracted to dismantle. “At least 11,766 pounds (approximately 5,337 kg) of Apple devices were removed from the GEEP disposal site without being destroyed, and GEEP also confirmed this fact,” The Logic reported.
Apple shipped more than 500,000 iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches to the recycling company between January 2015 and December 2017. According to a report from “The Logic,” Apple found that 18% of devices were still on the network. cell phone during an audit. Internet access. This 18% figure does not include Apple devices without mobile radios, so the share of devices resold may be higher.
Apple opposes security-based reselling, GEEP advocates repeat use
Apple expects to recover at least C $ 31 million (approximately $ 22.7 million) in compensation from its former partners. GEEP denied all wrongdoing, but did not deny the theft. GEEP reportedly filed a third-party lawsuit, alleging that three employees stole the devices. But Apple disagrees with this statement, believing that these employees are actually GEEP’s top management.
Last year, artificial electronic waste (e-Waste) reached a record 53.6 million tons, including discarded mobile phones, computers, appliances and other small tools. Like other tech companies, Apple has been working hard to improve environmental protection measures, including efforts to recycle internally through its own decommissioning robots, Daisy and Dave, with the goal of recycling iPhone components that Traditional recycling companies cannot recycle.
But Apple still relies on other partners to retrieve valuable materials from second-hand devices. From 2015 to 2018, GEEP Canada was one of the recycling partners. Equipment renewal and resale are also part of GEEP’s business. Although a variety of e-waste management services are provided during this period, the official website clearly indicates that GEEP’s mission is to “encourage reuse as much as possible”.
But from Apple’s point of view, the device cannot be resold. The fact that the product can be resold on the gray market does not mean that it meets Apple’s quality or safety standards. Apple revealed: “Products that have been sent for recycling are no longer suitable for sale to consumers. If these products are remade with counterfeit parts, they can cause serious safety concerns, including electrical or battery defects.”
Apple filed a lawsuit in January 2020, but the theft was discovered between 2017 and 2018. Since then, Apple has not cooperated with GEEP Canada.
(Source of the first image: Apple)
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