Apple Inc. Advances Sustainability, Achieves Record High in Recycled Material Usage | WPN World People News

Apple Inc. recently released its annual Environmental Progress Report, outlining the latest progress toward achieving operational carbon neutrality by 2030. The report notes that in 2025, the proportion of recycled materials used in shipped products reached 30%, a record high, demonstrating Apple’s continued commitment to sustainability.

In terms of material usage, Apple has made significant advancements across several core components. These include the use of 100% recycled cobalt in all its batteries, 100% recycled rare earth elements in magnetic components, and recycled gold and tin in printed circuit boards, effectively reducing the need for raw material extraction and lowering carbon emissions. At the same time, its packaging strategy has been fully transformed, eliminating plastic entirely and replacing it with fiber-based materials. This achieves its 2025 plastic-free packaging goal while ensuring product protection with reduced environmental impact.

In recycling technology, Apple continues to invest in innovative systems. The Advanced Recovery Center in California has introduced the “Cora” disassembly line, which enhances material separation efficiency through precision shredding and sensing technologies, outperforming industry standards. In addition, the “Daisy” robot can disassemble 36 iPhone models, processing up to 1.2 million devices annually, while “Dave” specializes in recovering tungsten, steel, and rare earth materials from Taptic Engines.

Product design also reflects environmental progress. The new MacBook Neo features 60% recycled materials, the highest proportion ever, and has the lowest carbon footprint of any Mac to date. It continues Apple’s use of high levels of recycled metals, demonstrating the integration of design and sustainability.

Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan stated that through cross-departmental collaboration and technological innovation, Apple is steadily advancing its environmental goals. These efforts not only address climate change but also create positive impacts across its supply chain. Overall, Apple is making steady progress toward its climate targets through material innovation, supply chain management, and optimized recycling systems, and will continue to deepen the application of circular economy practices and low-carbon technologies.