News

Autism in Britain Linked to Personal Electronics

Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 at 10:25 AM - by

A recent study in the U.K. indicates that batteries and other components in old electronic products are linked to an increase in autism. It cites several examples of devices, including old mobile phones, televisions, and iPods, according to TMCnet.

The report says the toxic metals in rechargeable batteries are seeping into the environment when products are discarded improperly.

Dr Richard Lathe, a molecular biologist who specializes in autism and brain disorders said "Think of iPod batteries, computers, television sets and mobile phones - thousands of them tossed aside without any thought to their proper disposal."

The mercury in batteries leaks into landfills when it rains, or goes into the atmosphere if batteries are burned.

Unfortunately, the iPod is being singled out thanks to its popularity. Although an easy target for sensationalized headlines, iPods are no more likely to pose a health risk than any other device mentioned in the report.

To help with the safe disposal of iPods, Apple offers a free recycling program at it retail locations. Many cities also offer programs for safely disposing of old batteries.

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A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:35 am

Of course mercury in the environment is a terrible problem, but I agree with the author that the iPod is being unfairly singled out due to its popularity. Realistically, how many iPod batteries have been thrown away into landfills vs. the number of batteries in all other electronic devices ever created?

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A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jul 18, 2006 11:46 am

Guest wrote:
Of course mercury in the environment is a terrible problem, but I agree with the author that the iPod is being unfairly singled out due to its popularity. Realistically, how many iPod batteries have been thrown away into landfills vs. the number of batteries in all other electronic devices ever created?

if they didn't put "iPod" in the headline, then it would pull as many readers. Autism has been around a lot longer than iPods.

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stuartea said:

member since 08 Aug 2005 with 327 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:50 pm

Thought the same thing, how did iPod get on that list? There isn't likely to be millions of iPod batteries in the environment. More like millions of batteries used in old walkmen.

Guest wrote:
Guest wrote:
Of course mercury in the environment is a terrible problem, but I agree with the author that the iPod is being unfairly singled out due to its popularity. Realistically, how many iPod batteries have been thrown away into landfills vs. the number of batteries in all other electronic devices ever created?

if they didn't put "iPod" in the headline, then it would pull as many readers. Autism has been around a lot longer than iPods.

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A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:20 pm

"Unfortunately, the iPod is being singled out thanks to its popularity"

Just like Brad Cook, your other correspondent in an article about banning of many different MP3 players headlined in just the same sensationalist way as "iPods banned"...you do it, they do it, everyone's out for eyeballs.

You may want to make sure your walls aren't made of glass if you insist on throwing stones around the place.

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BradC said:

member since 29 Apr 2005 with 81 posts, TMO Staff, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:39 pm

How is stating a fact sensationalism?

You're right: everyone is out for eyeballs. Welcome to the World Wide Web.

If I had written "Canadian Employers Fear Data Theft From iPods," or something like that, then I could see the claim that I was sensationalizing. But I used "iPod" in the headline since, you know, we're iPod Observer. And you'll note that the first sentence, which is visible on the front of iPO, says "Thirty percent of mid-to-large-sized businesses in Canada have banned MP3 players, including the iPod, at work because of data theft fears." So I've made it clear up front that I'm talking about all MP3 players. (Okay, maybe you're on headline view. Can't help you there.)

And throwing stones? Where the heck does that come from? Who's throwing stones? Jeff obviously went out of his way to point out that the iPod was being singled out unfairly in the autism story, and I noted that Canadian employers are concerned about all MP3 players, not just the iPod (of course, they're likely concerned most about the iPod since their MP3 player-owning employees are most likely to own them). How are we trying to damage anyone? Hell, if anything, we have a vested interest in the iPod's continued success, since, you know, we're iPod Observer.

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Mikuro said:

member since 15 Jun 2002 with 457 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:44 pm

This shows why the EU's new laws regulating the use of toxic substances in consumer electronics make sense. These laws forced Apple to stop selling iPod Shuffle Battery packs (among other things, like iSights and eMacs). (Of course, the laws affected other companies just as much, if not more.)

So I guess I'll get lung cancer from secondhand smoke and god-knows-what from secondhand gadget poison. Great.

I agree that the iPod is unfairly singled out in the linked article. I don't think iPO is guilty of the same tactic, though. After reading the headling and first half of the article, I didn't even know what Jeff meant when he said the iPod was being singled out, because it certainly was NOT singled out in the iPO's presentation I just read. Only after reading the source story on TMCnet did I understand what he meant. And that's the only problem I have with the article: I wish he would have elaborated on the other site's handling of the story a bit more before criticizing it.

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A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:43 pm

Another FUD story brought to you by stupid journalists who don't know what there talking about. There are certainly more portable electronic devices that use your standard AA,AAA,C,D and 9Volt batteries that last maybe a month or two versus and iPod battery that will last 4 to 5 years or more. Now which batteries cause more damage? When they write these fairy tales they should really do there homework a little more.

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KitsuneStudios said:

member since 25 Oct 2001 with 2490 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jul 19, 2006 8:57 pm

Counterpoint: http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2006/07/ipods_cause_autism.php#more

There is actually very little evidence connecting mercury to autism. Many of those who hype this connection are working in collaboration with lawyers seeking claims against the makers of vaccines with the thimerosol preservative (which uses mercury), or medical quacks hawking "chelation therapy", using potentially toxic chemicals with no clinically proven evidence of effectiveness against autism.

This isn't of course, to claim that mercury isn't toxic. Just that the claim that mercury causes autism isn't nearly as well supported as Dr. Lathe claims.

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tbone1 said:

member since 13 Jul 2001 with 3980 posts, TMO Staff, send him a message or view his profile

Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:20 am

In a quasi-related story, buggery has been linked to the British press.

British men gay? Who knew?

Sincerely,

Sir Reginald Dwight and Sir Farrokh Bulsara

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A guest said: (hide)

Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:44 pm

Contribution from attributed originator of the report; Dr. Richard Lathe.

No specific device including Ipods has ever featured in any discussion.

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