Apple continues to use recycled materials in its products. Now the company has released its 2022 Environmental Progress Report. As part of reporting on Apple's recycling efforts and clean energy initiatives, Apple also shared how it has adapted its products to become even more environmentally friendly.
In 2021, Apple introduced certified recycled gold into its products and doubled the amount of recycled tungsten, rare earths, and cobalt it uses. Recycled rare earths are used in 45% of cases and while 30% of certified recycled tin is used, all new iPhones, iPads, AirPods, and Macs use 100% recycled tin for the solder in the logic boards. About 13% certified recycled cobalt is used in iPhone batteries, which can be disassembled and returned to market by Daisy, Apple's recycling robot. Around 59% of the aluminum used in Apple products in 2021 comes from recycled sources, with many products also using 100% recycled aluminum in cases.
Apple improves robot Daisy
The use of plastics in packaging has been reduced to just 4% in 2021, with Apple aiming to eliminate plastics in packaging entirely by 2025. In addition to Daisy, Apple also uses a machine called Taz, which uses a "shredder-like technology" to separate magnets from audio modules. Daisy has also been improved to be able to disassemble 23 iPhone models. Apple is also offering to license the relevant patents to other companies and researchers for free. Apple also uses Dave, another robot to disassemble the Taptic Engines to extract rare earth magnets as well as tungsten and steel. In view of the carbon neutrality that Apple is aiming for in its global supply chain and the product lifecycle of its hardware, claimed Apple says its net emissions have remained the same while other companies have greatly increased their footprint.
The company continues to operate carbon neutrally, using 100% renewable energy for its offices, stores and data centers since 2018. Its suppliers have more than doubled their use of clean power in the last year. Of the total of nearly 16 gigawatts committed for the next few years, over 10 gigawatts are already in operation. As of April, 213 key manufacturing partners have committed to using renewable energy sources for Apple's production. The renewable energy projects avoided 13.9 million tons of carbon emissions in 2021, which Apple says is equivalent to taking 3 million cars off the road for a year. (Image: Apple)
