Last year, the Cupertino-based company was cited by authorities in Maiden County, North Carolina and received a fine of $ 40.000 for mismanaging potentially hazardous materials in the data center they have in this county, according to the latest report released by the company.
According to various documents in the public domain, The News & Observer newspaper reports that the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality summoned Apple at the end of the year to clarify a series of environmental violations, including included the transport of spent fuel cells, considered hazardous material, without being properly identified.
Apple also did not pay the corresponding fees for companies that generate large amounts of hazardous waste, according to this publication. The data center in this county uses lead batteries to destroy hard drives that are no longer valid, but this combination generates a high concentration of benzene, a highly toxic material that according to the inspectors was generated in large quantities during the years from 2014 to 2016.
Apple has paid the fine but without admitting the irregularities, being one of the few, but important, but that can be put to the company in its commitment to the environment.
According to residents of the area, these facilities generate a lot of noise and the helicopters are continuously flying around the facility. Additionally, some local contractors have complained that Apple has not hired staff in nearby locations.
Despite the discomfort of some residents, according to the Maiden County Chief Executive Officer, who says Apple is giving I work about 500 people in addition to generating 1,5 million dollars annually in taxes, a facility that according to some state officials, have had a cost of 5.000 million dollars.