Apple shipped nearly 20 per cent of all its materials used in manufacturing Apple Products from recycled sources, the highest-ever, according to the Tech giant’s 2021 Environmental Progress Report.
This represents more than double its use of recycled tungsten, rare earth elements and cobalt while introducing recycled gold for the first time in its recycled sources, across its products as the company moves toward its goal to become carbon-neutral by 2030.
“In fiscal year 2021, nearly 20 percent of the materials we shipped in Apple products came from recycled sources. And initiatives like our Apple Trade In program, and advancements in recycling technology, continue to reduce our impact on the planet by using yesterday’s products to help build tomorrow’s.”
Lisa Jackson
According to the Tech giant, in 2021, 59 per cent of all the aluminium Apple shipped in its product came from recycled sources, with many products featuring 10 per cent recycled aluminium in the enclosure.
Apple also made significant progress towards the company’s goal to avoid use of plastics from its packaging by 2025, with plastics accounting for just 4 per cent of packaging in 2021. Compared with the share of plastics in the company’s packaging 6 years ago (2015- 75%), this represents significant drop.
Specifically, the company highlighted some of its achievements: 4% certified recycled rare earth elements; 30% certified recycled tin (used in all new iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and Mac devices); 13% certified recycled cobalt (used in iPhone batteries that can be disassembled by Apple’s recycling robot Daisy); certified recycled gold (used in the plating of the main logic board and wire in the front camera and the rear cameras of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro).
Apple’s Strategy Working
The company said its strategy to decouple business growth from emissions “as we drive towards our goal of bringing entire carbon footprint to net zero by 2030” has been successful to a larger extent. The company stressed that, while its revenues grew 33 per cent, its carbon footprint throughout its supply chain and use of products remained flat.
“Across all of these efforts, we never lose sight of our primary mission— working to address the climate crisis. It’s an urgent challenge no one company, entity or individual can tackle alone, and this year, we’re addressing it with more ambition than ever before.
“We are laser-focused on our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality for our entire footprint by 2030, a goal we have already reached for our own operations. At the same time, we’re working to one day make our products without taking from the earth, and to be a force for equity in the world around us.”
Lisa Jackson
In the report, the company underscored that 213 of its suppliers, representing majority of Apple’s direct supplier spend “are committed to using 100 per cent renewable energy for their Apple business”, said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.
The report was released just a few days before the company celebrates another Earth Day, to which Jackson said: “As people around the world join in celebrating Earth Day, we are making real progress in our work to address the climate crisis and to one day make our products without taking anything from the earth”.
“Our rapid pace of innovation is already helping our teams use today’s products to build tomorrow’s. And as our global supply chain transitions to clean power, we are charting a path for other companies to follow.”
Lisa Jackson
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