Apple Denies Claims in Lawsuit Over 'Forever Chemicals' in Watch Bands.
Apple has been hit with a class-action lawsuit, accusing the company of including harmful "forever chemicals" in some of its most popular Apple Watch bands.
Filed in California on January 21, the lawsuit represents customers who have purchased Apple's Watch Sport Band, the Ocean Band for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and the Nike Sport Band. The complaint claims that while Apple markets these products as being designed for human health, wellness, and environmental sustainability, they in fact contain high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are toxic to both human health and the environment.
The lawsuit follows a study by the University of Notre Dame, which found elevated levels of PFAS, often referred to as 'forever chemicals,' in smartwatch bands. The study discovered that many bands, particularly more expensive ones, advertised as containing fluoroelastomers also had significant concentrations of PFAS. The lawsuit alleges that Apple is aware of the presence of these harmful chemicals in its products but has failed to inform consumers, even as the company moves towards phasing out their use in some items.
Related: Apple Faces £1.5bn Class Action in UK Over App Store Commissions.
According to the suit, Apple continues to sell these bands without disclosing the presence of PFAS, misleading customers who believe the bands are safe and environmentally friendly. The lawsuit claims that Apple knowingly misrepresents its products, affirming that they support human health and wellness when, in fact, they contain harmful chemicals.
The lawsuit also argues that Apple had other options and could have chosen to use safer materials. Instead, the company allegedly opted to use PFAS to give its bands a competitive edge in terms of durability and performance, potentially at the expense of consumer safety.
This legal action highlights growing concerns over the use of PFAS in consumer products, with increasing scrutiny on companies that fail to disclose their presence in goods marketed as safe and environmentally conscious.
