Former Apple Employee Claims She 'Nearly Died' Due To Chemical Exposure From Secret Chip Plant: 'I Tipped Off … – Benzinga
A former Apple Inc. AAPL employee has accused the tech giant of exposing her to hazardous chemicals from a clandestine chip manufacturing facility, leading to severe health issues.
What Happened: Ashley Gjovik took to the social media platform Mastodon to disclose that she was exposed to toxic chemicals from a secret chip fabrication plant near her residence.
In her post on Monday, Gjovik stated that she was exposed to hazardous chemicals from Apple’s Skunkworks semiconductor fab, which was located near her apartment. She reported this to the EPA, which conducted an investigation and found 19 potential violations of regulations by Apple at the Santa Clara site.
“In 2020, I nearly died from mysterious industrial chemical exposure at my apartment. Later, in 2023, I discovered my employer was dumping toxic waste into the apartment windows from their Skunkworks semiconductor fab next-door,” she said.
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She went on to add, “I tipped off the US EPA, who sent their env cops to raid Apple’s plant in Aug of 2023. The US EPA finally released the report of their enforcement inspections & sent me a copy on Friday.”
Gjovik’s post includes an annotated map illustrating the proximity of her former apartment to what she alleges was Apple’s silicon fabrication facility.
The report and associated documentation, albeit with multiple redactions, are accessible through Gjovik’s Dropbox account. This EPA report details 19 potential regulatory violations by Apple at its Santa Clara site. Most issues pertain to proper labeling and dating of items, reported AppleInsider.
The most serious concern involves a 1,700-gallon CRA hazardous waste solvent tank that was not being tracked according to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act procedures, the report noted.
Apple did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Why It Matters: In September 2021, Apple terminated Gjovik, citing accusations of leaking its intellectual property. Gjovik alleged that this action was retaliatory, targeting individuals who had participated in the #AppleToo movement.
Her complaints about sexism in the workplace led to a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into Apple’s alleged retaliation against a whistleblower.
Last year, it was reported that Apple executives had imposed rules on employees that were deemed illegal by the National Labor Relations Board. NLRB found "merit to a charge alleging statements and conduct by Apple — including high-level executives — also violated the National Labor Relations Act," according to the report.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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