Apple is a "Top Ten Environmentally Progressive Companies," follows Small Dog's lead.

Small Dog has offered a successful, public computer recycling program for the past three and a half years. Now Apple is following our lead. Today they announced their “Computer Take-Back Program,” which is an expansion of its existing recycling program.

Starting in June, Apple will take back and recycle your old computer with the purchase of a new Macintosh system. According to Apple “Equipment received by the program in the US is recycled domestically and no hazardous material is shipped overseas.”

The Sierra Club and Forward Management named Apple was named a “Forward Green Leader,” earlier this week.

Apple also announced that the fifth generation iPod, iPod nano and iPod shuffle are 100 percent compliant with the restrictions of hazardous substances (RoHS) in California and Europe, which are recognized as a global standard for environmental regulation. iPod’s RoHS compliance comes ahead of the July 1 deadline set by the European Union, and most of the materials covered by the RoHS directive, including mercury, cadmium, chromium VI and brominated flame retardants, were voluntarily eliminated from all Apple products years ago.

Visit: apple.com/environment for details.

Of course, long before Small Dog offered a public recycling program, we’ve been recycling our dead and dying old computers, printers, and other peripherals. This is a critical responsibility for all electronics companies.