GEEP received 500,000 iPhones, iPads, and Watches from Apple between January 2015 and December 2017, and about 103,845 of them were still connected to the internet. There is a possibility a larger number of the devices were resold since some of them are without cellular radio.
“At least 11,766 pounds of Apple devices left GEEP’s premises, without being destroyed; a fact that GEEP itself confirmed,” states Apple’s lawsuit, as reported by The logic
Apple seeks to obtain about $22.7 million USD from GEEP. The firm claimed some of its employees were responsible for the theft in its third-party suit, while Apple insists that the staffs were the management of the firm.
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Furthermore, Apple explained that the possibility of these products to be resold on the grey market doesn’t mean they met its safety standards.
“Products sent for recycling are no longer adequate to sell to consumers, and if they are rebuilt with counterfeit parts, they could cause serious safety issues, including electrical or battery defects.” Apple’s spokesperson told The Verge.
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However, the partnership between Apple and GEEP has been automatically ended as Apple relies on other partners for the recycling and dismantling of gadgets.
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Apple has been making efforts to promote environmental practices. The company is working on moving recycling in-house with Daisy and Dave robots, which are designed to recover iPhone components that traditional recyclers can’t.