April 16, 2026
UPDATE
Apple accelerates environmental progress with highest‑ever recycled materials in its merchandise
New milestones embrace eradicating plastic from packaging, utilizing one hundred pc recycled cobalt in Apple-designed batteries, and replenishing greater than half of Apple’s company water use
Apple right this moment introduced {that a} document 30 p.c of fabric throughout all of its merchandise shipped in 2025 got here from recycled content material.1 The achievement, together with different key progress milestones Apple shared right this moment, is the results of innovation by groups throughout Apple and deep collaboration with its international provide chain. As a part of this work, Apple now makes use of one hundred pc recycled cobalt in all of the batteries it designs and one hundred pc recycled uncommon earth parts in all magnets.2 The corporate additionally achieved its aim to take away plastic from packaging, with Apple merchandise now delivery in fiber-based packaging that may be simply recycled at dwelling.3
“At Apple, we consider deeply in leaving the world higher than we discovered it, and that dedication runs throughout every thing we do,” mentioned Tim Prepare dinner, Apple’s CEO. “These milestones in our work to guard the planet present that bold objectives will also be highly effective engines of innovation. And as all the time, we’ll maintain pushing to construct on this progress much more.”
In its annual Environmental Progress Report launched right this moment, Apple marked progress towards Apple 2030, the corporate’s bold aim to be carbon impartial throughout its total footprint by the tip of this decade. Apple’s greenhouse fuel emissions in 2025 stay down over 60 p.c in comparison with 2015 ranges, holding fixed from 2024 even in a yr of serious enterprise progress. The report highlights extra progress in renewable vitality, supplies innovation and recycling, water stewardship, and 0 waste.
“Throughout each a part of our enterprise, we’re exhibiting how innovation and collaboration can flip large concepts and daring ambitions into measurable progress,” mentioned Sabih Khan, Apple’s chief working officer. “From increasing recycled materials to eradicating plastic from our packaging, we’re setting new benchmarks that encourage us to achieve additional and work even tougher for the great of individuals and planet.”
As Apple celebrates Earth Day with its groups, companions, and clients all over the world — together with with a particular supply for customers who carry of their Apple gadgets for recycling at collaborating Apple Retailer places4 — right here’s a take a look at the progress the corporate is making throughout its environmental initiatives.
Setting New Benchmarks for Recycled Content material
On high of hitting 30 p.c recycled content material throughout all of its merchandise shipped in 2025, Apple additionally reached a number of targets for recycled content material in choose elements final yr. In the present day, all batteries designed by Apple are made with one hundred pc recycled cobalt, and all magnets are made with one hundred pc recycled uncommon earth parts. Moreover, all Apple-designed printed circuit boards are made with one hundred pc recycled gold plating and tin soldering. Whether or not supplies are recycled or major, Apple is dedicated to sourcing all supplies responsibly, and drives excessive requirements for human rights and the atmosphere throughout its provide chain.
Innovating to Take away Plastic
Apple accomplished the transition to one hundred pc fiber-based packaging final yr, fulfilling its pledge to take away plastic from packaging by 2025. Over the previous 10 years, Apple engineers and designers have developed options to widespread packaging elements, changing plastic display protectors and trays with variations made with recycled or responsibly sourced paper. In addition they innovated to make packaging extra recyclable, designing the biggest containers, like for the brand new Studio Show XDR, to break down into smaller items that match into a house recycling bin. Apple prevented greater than 15,000 metric tons of plastic up to now 5 years alone — the equal of about 500 million plastic water bottles.5
Investing in Subsequent-Era Recycling Know-how
As the corporate expands using recycled materials in its merchandise, Apple can also be creating new expertise to assist maximize the fabric recovered from gadgets on the finish of their life. Apple launched Cora, a brand new world-class electronics-recycling line positioned on the Superior Restoration Middle in California. Designed and constructed within the U.S., Cora makes use of precision shredding and superior sensor expertise to attain materials restoration charges which are considerably greater than {industry} baselines. Apple additionally developed A.R.I.S., a brand new detection system powered by machine studying, to assist recyclers effectively classify and kind digital scrap. Leveraging the A.R.I.S. software program, which runs on Mac mini, Apple is piloting new, industry-deployable recycling instruments with associate recyclers.
Increasing Renewable Vitality Throughout Apple’s Footprint
Apple’s direct suppliers procured greater than 20 gigawatts of renewable vitality final yr as a part of the Provider Clear Vitality Program, producing greater than 38 million megawatt-hours of electrical energy. That’s sufficient clear electrical energy to energy greater than 3.4 million U.S. households for a yr.6 Apple procured an extra 1.8 gigawatts of renewable vitality to energy its places of work, retail shops, and knowledge facilities with one hundred pc renewable electrical energy. And the corporate is advancing towards its Apple 2030 aim by enabling new renewable vitality initiatives all over the world to assist match the vitality clients use to cost and energy their Apple merchandise with one hundred pc clear electrical energy.
Conserving and Replenishing Recent Water Across the World
Final yr, Apple and its suppliers saved 17 billion gallons of recent water — sufficient to fill greater than 25,000 Olympic-size swimming swimming pools. The corporate can also be driving water conservation efforts throughout its company operations, and by 2030, is working to replenish all the recent water withdrawn to assist Apple’s services worldwide by means of modern, long-term partnerships designed to save lots of, restore, and safe water on the watershed stage. In 2025, Apple’s contracted initiatives replenished greater than half the water it withdrew to assist its international places of work, knowledge facilities, and retail shops. Moreover, all eight Apple-owned knowledge facilities have now been licensed to the Alliance for Water Stewardship commonplace.
Launching the Lowest-Carbon MacBook
Earlier this yr, Apple launched MacBook Neo, which was constructed from the bottom as much as be the corporate’s lowest-carbon MacBook. That includes 60 p.c recycled content material total, MacBook Neo has probably the most recycled content material of any Apple gadget but, together with one hundred pc recycled cobalt within the battery and one hundred pc recycled uncommon earth parts in all magnets.7 Its stunning, sturdy enclosure is manufactured with a material-efficient forming course of that makes use of half the uncooked materials in comparison with conventional machining strategies. And to preserve water in its manufacturing, Apple and its suppliers developed an enhanced, new anodization course of that achieved a 70 p.c water-reuse fee — remodeling a historically water-intensive course of right into a closed-loop system that constantly recycles and recirculates water, preserving recent water for under probably the most vital makes use of. Apple is working to develop this anodization course of to extra manufacturing strains within the coming years.
Driving Waste to Zero
By means of recycling, composting, and waste discount efforts throughout all of its international services, Apple reached a waste diversion fee of 75 p.c final yr. And earlier this yr, Apple Fifth Avenue grew to become the corporate’s first-ever retail retailer to attain TRUE Zero Waste Certification, which acknowledges services that divert greater than 90 p.c of their waste from landfills. Apple Fifth Avenue joins 5 knowledge facilities and 4 company campuses which have already earned the certification on the platinum stage. Throughout the provision chain, Apple and its suppliers redirected greater than 600,000 metric tons of waste from landfills in 2025, with 400 provider services actively collaborating within the firm’s Zero Waste Program. All Apple merchandise proceed to ship from closing meeting websites that keep zero-waste-to-landfill operations.8
Celebrating Earth Day by Recycling with Apple
As a part of Apple’s Earth Day celebration, clients who recycle an eligible Apple product at their native collaborating Apple Retailer from now till Might 16 can obtain 10 p.c off Apple AirPods or equipment. Merchandise delivered to Apple totally free recycling bear thorough screenings, and eligible gadgets are despatched to Apple’s superior recycling methods, together with Daisy and Cora, for additional processing.
- Apple defines recycled content material in alignment with ISO 14021. Complete recycled materials shipped in merchandise is pushed by product materials composition and quantity of models bought.
- Excludes stock for alternative and restore, in addition to extra stock bought previous to year-end at the moment being consumed and representing lower than 0.1 p.c of whole materials utilization.
- Apple achieved its aim of eradicating plastic in its packaging and transitioning to one hundred pc fiber-based packaging. Each package deal manufactured right this moment is made with one hundred pc fiber-based supplies. Apple’s aim excluded the inks, coatings, or adhesives utilized in its packaging. Current stock shipped with plastic-containing packaging can be bought till consumed to keep away from waste. This class represented lower than 0.4 p.c of Apple’s whole packaging footprint in fiscal yr 2025.
- Supply accessible to clients who recycle an eligible Apple gadget and buy a brand new eligible AirPods or accent in the identical transaction between April 16 and Might 16, 2026. Solely at Apple Retailer places. See apple.com/promo for extra phrases.
- Financial savings from 2021 to 2025 had been calculated by multiplying every year’s gross sales quantity by the earlier yr’s estimated plastic per unit for every product line, after which subtracting that yr’s estimated plastic use. The water bottle equal assumes every bottle weighs 30 grams.
- Supply primarily based on the U.S. Environmental Safety Company’s greenhouse fuel equivalencies calculator: epa.gov/vitality/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator.
- Product recycled or renewable content material is the mass of licensed recycled materials relative to the general mass of the gadget, not together with packaging or in-box equipment.
- All established final-assembly provider websites — or these which have been Apple suppliers for a couple of yr — for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, HomePod, Apple TV, and Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional have been third-party verified by UL Options in opposition to the UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill Environmental Declare Validation Process (ECVP). UL Options requires at the least 90 p.c diversion by means of strategies apart from waste-to-energy to attain Zero Waste to Landfill designations.
The knowledge lined on this launch comprises forward-looking statements inside the which means of the Personal Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, together with statements relating to our objectives, targets, commitments, and techniques. These statements contain dangers and uncertainties, and precise outcomes might differ materially from any future outcomes expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Extra info on dangers, uncertainties, and different potential elements that might have an effect on our enterprise and efficiency is included in our filings with the SEC.
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Sean Redding
Apple
Apple Media Helpline