Apple has issued a lengthy statement announcing its intention to use significantly more 100% recycled materials in its products in its grand plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
In 2025, therefore, the batteries designed by Apple must be produced using in particular 100% recycled cobalt. But the company does not intend to stop there and reveals its plans to offer components (such as magnets or printed circuits) made of more 100% recycled materials in its future products, such as the iPhone 15.
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Behind this initiative with hints of greenwashing, usual for this type of company, hides good news all the same. Aiming for 100% recycled cobalt in Apple product batteries by 2025 will truly benefit not just the environment, but also human rights and cobalt stocks.
The conditions for extracting this material are extremely criticized, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country hosting 70% of the world’s mining production of cobalt. The mines regularly use child labor. Moreover, a recent OECD report expresses its concerns about the growing demand for this material and the limited stocks available. Easing the demand won’t hurt.
Apple is on the right track and will accelerate its efforts. The Cupertino giant indicates in his long statement that in 2021 it used 13% cobalt from recycling. A figure that rose to 25% last year. “Our ambition to one day use 100% recycled and renewable materials in our products works hand in hand with Apple 2030: our goal to achieve carbon neutral products by 2030” says Lisa Jackson, vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives at Apple in the press release.
Other relevant materials
Rare earths are also in the company’s sights. Apple claims to have used 73% certified 100% recycled rare earths in its products in 2022, compared to 45% in 2021. Magnets (which notably equip the Taptic motor of iPhone) being the elements that use the most rare earths, the giant specifies that in two years, they will be composed entirely of rare earths from recycling. The circuit boards will also use 100% recycled tin solder and 100% recycled gold plating, according to the release.
This also highlights the work carried out by the giant, via its Daisy disassembly robot since 2019. The batteries extracted by Daisy for almost four years have made it possible to recover some 11 tonnes of cobalt and recycle them. Another robot has been deployed to an Apple recycling partner in China. The company ends by stating that in 2022, approximately 20% of the materials used in Apple products came from recycled or renewable sources.
