iPhone 3GS free of harmful substances

On 08/06/2009, Apple Inc. introduced the iPhone 3GS during its Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, emphasizing not only performance improvements but also a redesigned environmental profile. Apple presented the device as meeting or exceeding environmental standards in place at the time, including requirements aligned with the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive. The company published an environmental report alongside the announcement detailing material reductions and the removal of certain substances commonly used in consumer electronics. Apple stated that the iPhone 3GS display glass was manufactured without arsenic, and the LCD panel was designed to be mercury free. The company also reported that the device’s printed circuit boards were free of brominated flame retardants, while the handset, USB cable, and included headphones were produced without polyvinyl chloride. In addition, Apple noted that all external surfaces of the iPhone 3GS were nickel free, a change aimed at reducing potential skin irritation and limiting environmental exposure during manufacturing and disposal. The environmental changes were part of Apple’s broader product material transition during that period, which also included reducing packaging size and improving energy efficiency. Apple’s environmental specification sheet for the iPhone 3GS documented compliance with ENERGY STAR power adapter requirements and identified recyclable materials in the aluminum and glass components. The device itself retained the polycarbonate enclosure introduced with the iPhone 3G but incorporated the updated internal material standards described in Apple’s environmental documentation released on the same day. The iPhone 3GS launched later on 19/06/2009 in the United States and several other markets, with Apple continuing to publish product environmental reports for subsequent iPhone models following this announcement.