Tim Cook, Apple CEO, revealed intentions to boost the usage of recycled materials in products, including the target of using 100% recycled cobalt in batteries by 2025.
The tech giant also said by 2025, all magnets in Apple products use fully recycled rare earth components, and all Apple-designed printed circuit boards will make use of 100% recycled tin soldering and 100% recycled gold plating.
“Every day, Apple is innovating to make technology that enriches people’s lives, while protecting the planet we all share,” stated Apple CEO Tim Cook.
“From the recycled materials in our products, to the clean energy that powers our operations, our environmental work is integral to everything we make and to who we are. So we’ll keep pressing forward in the belief that great technology should be great for our users, and for the environment,” he added.
In 2022, the business dramatically increased the use of recycled metals; as of present, over 95% of all the tungsten used in Apple products, over 75% of all rare earths, and over two-thirds of all aluminum are sourced from 100 percent recycled material.
This development strengthens Apple’s 2030 aim of making every product carbon neutral and moves the company closer to its goal of making all goods using exclusively recycled and renewable resources.
According to Lisa Jackson, vice president of Apple’s Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, “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.”
Up from 13% the year before, a quarter of all the cobalt discovered in Apple goods in 2022 originated from recycled materials.
The vast bulk of the cobalt used by Apple is in batteries that are made by the company and are used in devices like the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, and many more.
The percentage of certified recycled rare earth elements used by the corporation has increased significantly over the past year as well, rising from 46% in 2021 to 73% in 2022.
Recycled rare earths were first used by Apple in the iPhone 11’s Taptic Engine.
All Apple-designed printed circuit boards will utilize 100 percent certified recycled gold plating by 2025, according to the company’s expedited new timeframe.
On all printed rigid and flexible circuit boards using Apple designs, the company will employ 100% certified recycled tin soldering by 2025.
