Apple says it’s using more recycled materials than ever before

Image: Apple

The highest percentage of recycled materials has been achieved by Apple. Apple shared new details on its recycling programs today, along with some new features it is offering customers ahead of Earth Day.

In a first for any Apple device, recycled gold was used in the plating of the main logic board in the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, as well as in wire in the device's front camera and rear cameras. Apple says that it was the result of the company'spioneering of industry-leading levels oftraceability to build a gold supply chain of exclusively recycled content.

The company has previously tried to retrieve gold from its discarded products. According to the company, Apple's recycling robots can recover enough used gold and copper to avoid mining 2,000 metric tons of rock. There can be as much as 80 times more gold in a cellphone than in a gold mine.

Apple introduced a new machine for recycling. Apple said in its announcement today that Taz uses sledgehammer-like technology to separate magnets from audio modules and recover more rare earth elements. Daisy, Apple's recycling robot, can now take apart 23 iPhone models, the company said today. Apple says it was able to double its use of recycled minerals in fiscal year 2021.

According to the Environmental Progress Report, Apple was not able to make as much progress on its plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The company made a promise in 2020 to reduce emissions by 75 percent. Its gross emissions went up in the year 2021.

The company's net emissions were flat last year at 22.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent. Most of the company's climate pollution comes from its supply chains. Hundreds of Apple's suppliers have been pushed to make clean energy products.

Consumers will be able to learn more about Daisy and Apple's environmental initiatives on Earth Day by checking out a new augmented reality experience. From now until April 22nd, Apple will donate a dollar to the World Wildlife Fund for every purchase made through Apple Pay, in the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store. It's worth keeping in mind that WWF had financed park rangers accused of human rights abuses. After a 160-page review, the WWF expressed deep and unreserved sorrow for those abuses.