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Mac Pros stink according to users

Updated No evidence according to Apple
Thursday, 2 October 2008, 13:07

APPLE’S MAC PROS are purportedly emitting strange smells and choke-inducing benzene fumes according to numerous reports.

We first got whiff of this story when a French paper, Libération, reported that Mac Pro users were reporting the unenticing smell of burning plastic wafting out of their shiny, sleek machines.

Such was the concern of one user, a molecular biologist boffin working for the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), he decided to take the issue to Greenpeace. Greenpeace is notoriously impatient with Apple’s long history of poor environmental records, so the organisation decided it would rope in testing lab Analytica as well as France's industrial environment institute, Inéris, to check things out.

The preliminary results of the lab’s tests were worrying to say the least, with benzene fumes reportedly being the cause of the "intense, nauseating" odour. The Enviro-mentalists were quick to point out that inhaling benzene fumes on a regular basis was not only less than ideal, but also potentially cancer-inducing, and urged Apple to look into the situation.

"The results of the tests raise some concerns," top Greenpeace boffin Dr David Santillo, told the INQ, adding, "people should be able to turn on their computer without risk of getting exposed to volatile chemicals of any sort".

But Santillo also said he didn’t think the situation should be blown out of proportion just yet, and that proper, more comprehensive testing should be undertaken as soon as possible. He urged Apple to take responsibility and treat the issue seriously.

Rumours suggest that the problem Pros are only the ones 'made in China', the latest in toxic toys and products to emerge from the Middle Kingdom.

Apple did not respond to our request for comment on the issue. µ

L'Inq
Libération

Update
Whilst not dismissing the report, Apple spokespomme Bill Evans said that the Cupertino company had not seen any evidence to support the claims, adding that it would "continue to investigate it for the customer".

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Comments
Simple solution

Start fitting Apple Macintoschs with catalytic converters and exhausts?

posted by : Silver, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
congratulations to sylvie

my personal congratulations to sylvie for this daring article. 

am bookmarking this page to see macfanbois flaming their guts off their smelling holes.

posted by : Metal Might, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Wrong casing for Boiling motherboard

I was wondering how good these alu. cases and fans are and now I know.... New xeons must work in a spacier case

posted by : xeon sys builder , 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
The ChiComs huh

That does not surprise me. I actually think China is doing some of this on purpose. "Die Capitalist Pigs, we will poison you and your pets too."
They are overpriced too, too bad you can't get one with a single Core2 and save allot of cash. I would be interested.

posted by : regulas, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Smelly?

I have had a new Mac Pro for about a month now, a dual quad version with an ATI HD2600 and have not noticed any irregular odours emitting from it.

There may be credence to the explanation that it is only those computers manufactured in certain area's that emit the problem odours.

Mine was purchased in Dublin, Ireland

posted by : Dublin_Gunner, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
however...

they will continue to sell the units at a high profit, cos those mac suckers dont care if it kills them, it only makes them look cooler!

posted by : Andy Mo, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
benzene smell

Benzene is a clear colorless liquid at room temperature. 

According to the the HSDB is has a Gasoline-like odor; rather pleasant aromatic odor. Odor threshold = 4.68 ppm. 

Benzene is a common pollutant in ambient air due to emissions from mobile sources (e.g automobiles). I don't know the circumstances of the test, but given Greenpeace's adverse relationship with Apple, they cannot be viewed as unbiased.

So... if people are being nauseated by fumes from their Mac, I suspect it might be chemicals other than benzene. 

FYI I do not own or use any Apple hardware or software.

posted by : david, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Simple solution for simpletons

Blame everything on the Chinese

posted by : pixie, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Jobs

Does he use a Mac Pro?

posted by : Chris Tom, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Mine's fine.

I have one and it doesn't stink at all. Should I be jealous?

posted by : Kargis, 02 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Who is to blame?

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but in my instance the computer would have greater cause for complaint than myself when it comes to which one of us is emitting bad smells.

posted by : Momnishiki, 03 October 2008 Complain about this comment
Mine was purchased in Dublin, Ireland

um, lol...

posted by : m.oreilly, 03 October 2008 Complain about this comment
So techs who breathe this all day will sicken and die early?

No compensation for that, from Apple or anyone else.

Authority to poison because it's cheaper than making clean machines, but no responsibility.

posted by : Captain Obvious, 03 October 2008 Complain about this comment
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