The Guardian reports that a reader bought a high-end Mac
Pro desktop but, like some other users of pre-2008 models, has been
plagued by its unpleasant smell. The computer has been in for repair
three times, but after having thermal pastes, heat sinks, and the power
unit replaced over two-and-a-half years of repairs, the problem still
persists, and the owner is now considering legal action under the
UK's
Sales of Goods Act, saying he's at the end of his tether, because
Apple says it's no longer prepared to do anything about it, leaving him
with a machine that he can't use.
As one who's been battling Multiple
Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) for more than 30 years, my experience
is that computers do tend to "gas off" eventually, but it takes a long
time - usually measured in years rather than days, weeks, or even a few
months. Eighteen months to two years has been typical for Apple
laptops. Even the metal-skinned 'Books are afflicted, indicating that
the chemical composition of internal electronic components is the
likely culprit.
It's Nothing New - Or Specifically Apple
It's not only Apple computers that are affected, of course, but not
much has come of two decades of complaining about it. One of the
maddening aspects of the issue is that some electronics products seem
to emit little chemical odor even when new, while others still do after
years of use.
As the Guardian notes, the "smelly Mac Pro" issue became a story in
2008 when a French newspaper, Libération, published an
article entitled "Mac Pro, le ppin
toxique pour Apple?" ("Mac Pro, the Seed Toxic to Apple?" -
Google translation). Seems, according to the
Libération report, a molecular biologist at France's CNRS
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (National Center
for Science and Research) - who remained anonymous by request, was
affected by a strange smell emitting from his new Mac Pro back in
February 2007. Symptoms cited included his eye, nose, and larynx
irritation and soreness.
After he receiving no satisfactory resolution of the issue from
Apple, which reportedly sent out second computer for him to try - and
which he found just as objectionably smelly as the first one - he
contacted Greenpeace to get the chemical vapors emerging from his Mac
analyzed by Analytica, an independent laboratory, which found seven
volatile organic contaminants. According to the
Libération article and other subsequent reports, some of
the emissions were identified by gas chromatography and mass
spectrometry as toxic, harmful substances, including propanal, ethanone, isobenzofurandione,
propanone, and
acetic acid, as
well as styrene and
benzene, the latter
of particular concern because it is a potent carcinogen suspected of
contributing to bone marrow damage and leukemia for people exposed over
long periods of time, while short-term exposure may result in nausea,
vomiting, dizziness, narcosis, reduction in blood pressure, and Central
Nervous System (CNS) depression.
"Benzene can affect the bone marrow. Imagine a person works eight
hours a day for two months inhaling such vapors, sensitive people could
very well develop leukemia, " said Annie Leszkowicz, an expert in
chemical risk for the French Agency for safety of the environment and
labor quoted in the Libération piece. The American Cancer
Society says benzene has been found to elevate cancer probability in
workers exposed to a minuscule 10 parts per million. Skin contact may
lead to dermatitis. Long-term exposure may lead to irreversible
effects, and it's a severe eye irritant.
According to a report by Macworld's Philip Michaels, Apple disputed that there was any evidence
supporting the claim that the off-gassing is dangerous and affirmed
that its products complied with European Union restrictions on the use
of potentially hazardous chemicals.
Toxicity Is Not the Issue
"The criteria applied in standard toxicology
evaluations are essentially irrelevant in the context of a substance's
potential as a MCS irritant or trigger."
The disconnect here is that toxicity in the
conventionally-understood sense is not the issue. People afflicted with
MCS are typically affected by emissions of chemicals that are regarded
as completely benign from a toxicology standpoint, such as the aroma of
flowers, various natural oils (some of which are used in aromatherapy),
and scents used in personal care and cleaning products. The criteria
applied in standard toxicology evaluations are essentially irrelevant
in the context of a substance's potential as a MCS irritant or
trigger.
It's also important to note that the Analytica lab analysis was
qualitative (identifying the substances present) but not quantitative
(determining levels of chemical emissions), so no conclusions as to the
degree of real-world health risk from toxicity (if any) can be drawn
without further research.
However, the Guardian notes that searching the community support
section of Apple's website turns up plenty of complaints and queries
about smelly Macs, including chemical odors emitting from Mac mini, 27"
iMac, and MacBook Pro machines with Intel Core i7 processors, and it
also emphasizes that the problem is not unique to Apple computers, with
plenty of PC users also complaining about chemical odors wafting from
their computers, and that the issue doesn't appear to be a generic
problem with recent or current Apple products.
Way back in 1999, Salon's Janelle Brown posted a column entitled
"Eau de
Mac" suggesting: "perhaps today's olfactory status symbol is the
smell of scorching plastic." Ms. Brown's reference was to a review on
MacInTouch (no longer online) of the then-new Power Mac G4 machines which
noted that the computers emitted an unpleasant odor when turned on, and
an Apple Tech Info Library article that acknowledged: "New Equipment: Odors May Be
Present Short-Term" .
Apple's 1999 tech bulletin says:
"In some cases, an unusual odor may be detected when a
product has been turned on and allowed to warm up to operating
temperature. Typically, the odor is detected when the product is new,
similar to odors generated from new carpeting or a new car. In most
cases the odor will dissipate over a short period of time."
Or not, as we shall discuss further below.
Apple suggested that if the odor problem persists, the machine be
placed in a well-ventilated room and allowed to operate over an
"extended" period of time (possibly 24-72 hours) or until the odor
dissipates.
However, at least from a MCS perspective, that sort of time frame is
laughably optimistic. Like I said, for users with full-blown MCS, it's
prudent to anticipate months or years for the off-gassing process as
long as this issue is not proactively addressed.
