These small collaborations may appear as public
relations stunts on the outside, but internally,
they’re creating lasting changes at Apple and a
significant impact on their footprint.
RECYCLING IS PART OF THE STORY
Waste is another key concern for technology
companies, but Apple had made it a mission
to reduce waste not only from its own sites but
from supplier facilities. By 2017, the company
had 22 Zero Waste facilities around the world,
including all of its iPhone assembly sites.
And by reducing or eliminating the harmful
substances commonly used in electronics,
Apple is on a continuing journey to create
safer, greener tech every year. PVC, for example,
was removed from power leads, cables,
and headphones back in 2009 to make
them safer to recycle. On top of that, Apple’s
ongoing efforts to research and develop more
sustainable and recyclable materials is changing
the way we use our technology. The creation of
a custom alloy made of 100 percent recycled
aluminum, for example, made the MacBook Air
and redesigned Mac mini, released in late 2018,
the greenest Apple computers to date. I t ’s
expected that Apple will continue to innovate
in this field and introduce recycled materials in
Macs and iPhones in the coming years - and by
encouraging people to trade in their old devices,
more recycled aluminum and core materials
will be available to the company for use in the
manufacturing of new devices.
Indeed, last year’s iPhone XR GiveBack
promotion was one of Apple’s biggest ever,
allowing consumers to trade in their old iPhones
and iPads for discounts off of a brand new
Image: Apple Inc.