April 16, 2026
UPDATE
Apple accelerates environmental progress with highest‑ever recycled materials in its merchandise
New milestones embrace eradicating plastic from packaging, utilizing 100% recycled cobalt in Apple-designed batteries, and replenishing greater than half of Apple’s company water use
Apple at the moment introduced {that a} file 30 % 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 at the moment, is the results of innovation by groups throughout Apple and deep collaboration with its world provide chain. As a part of this work, Apple now makes use of 100% recycled cobalt in all of the batteries it designs and 100% recycled uncommon earth components in all magnets.2 The corporate additionally completed its objective 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 all the pieces we do,” mentioned Tim Cook dinner, Apple’s CEO. “These milestones in our work to guard the planet present that formidable targets will also be highly effective engines of innovation. And as all the time, we’ll preserve pushing to construct on this progress much more.”
In its annual Environmental Progress Report launched at the moment, Apple marked progress towards Apple 2030, the corporate’s formidable objective to be carbon impartial throughout its complete footprint by the tip of this decade. Apple’s greenhouse gasoline emissions in 2025 stay down over 60 % in comparison with 2015 ranges, holding fixed from 2024 even in a 12 months of serious enterprise progress. The report highlights further progress in renewable power, supplies innovation and recycling, water stewardship, and nil waste.
“Throughout each a part of our enterprise, we’re displaying 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 succeed in additional and work even tougher for the nice of individuals and planet.”
As Apple celebrates Earth Day with its groups, companions, and prospects world wide — together with with a particular supply for customers who convey of their Apple gadgets for recycling at taking part Apple Retailer areas4 — right here’s a have a look at the progress the corporate is making throughout its environmental initiatives.
Setting New Benchmarks for Recycled Content material
On prime of hitting 30 % 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 12 months. Immediately, all batteries designed by Apple are made with 100% recycled cobalt, and all magnets are made with 100% recycled uncommon earth components. Moreover, all Apple-designed printed circuit boards are made with 100% 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 surroundings throughout its provide chain.
Innovating to Take away Plastic
Apple accomplished the transition to 100% fiber-based packaging final 12 months, fulfilling its pledge to take away plastic from packaging by 2025. Over the previous 10 years, Apple engineers and designers have developed options to frequent packaging elements, changing plastic display screen protectors and trays with variations made with recycled or responsibly sourced paper. In addition they innovated to make packaging extra recyclable, designing the most important packing 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 previously 5 years alone — the equal of about 500 million plastic water bottles.5
Investing in Subsequent-Technology Recycling Know-how
As the corporate expands the usage of recycled materials in its merchandise, Apple can also be growing 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 situated on the Superior Restoration Heart in California. Designed and constructed within the U.S., Cora makes use of precision shredding and superior sensor expertise to realize materials restoration charges which can be considerably increased 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 type digital scrap. Leveraging the A.R.I.S. software program, which runs on Mac mini, Apple is piloting new, industry-deployable recycling instruments with companion recyclers.
Increasing Renewable Power Throughout Apple’s Footprint
Apple’s direct suppliers procured greater than 20 gigawatts of renewable power final 12 months as a part of the Provider Clear Power 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 12 months.6 Apple procured a further 1.8 gigawatts of renewable power to energy its workplaces, retail shops, and information facilities with 100% renewable electrical energy. And the corporate is advancing towards its Apple 2030 objective by enabling new renewable power tasks world wide to assist match the power prospects use to cost and energy their Apple merchandise with 100% clear electrical energy.
Conserving and Replenishing Recent Water Across the World
Final 12 months, 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 the entire recent water withdrawn to help Apple’s amenities worldwide by means of modern, long-term partnerships designed to avoid wasting, restore, and safe water on the watershed degree. In 2025, Apple’s contracted tasks replenished greater than half the water it withdrew to help its world workplaces, information facilities, and retail shops. Moreover, all eight Apple-owned information facilities have now been licensed to the Alliance for Water Stewardship commonplace.
Launching the Lowest-Carbon MacBook
Earlier this 12 months, Apple launched MacBook Neo, which was constructed from the bottom as much as be the corporate’s lowest-carbon MacBook. That includes 60 % recycled content material general, MacBook Neo has probably the most recycled content material of any Apple system but, together with 100% recycled cobalt within the battery and 100% recycled uncommon earth components 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 % water-reuse price — reworking a historically water-intensive course of right into a closed-loop system that repeatedly recycles and recirculates water, preserving recent water for less than probably the most important makes use of. Apple is working to increase this anodization course of to further manufacturing strains within the coming years.
Driving Waste to Zero
By means of recycling, composting, and waste discount efforts throughout all of its world amenities, Apple reached a waste diversion price of 75 % final 12 months. And earlier this 12 months, Apple Fifth Avenue turned the corporate’s first-ever retail retailer to realize TRUE Zero Waste Certification, which acknowledges amenities that divert greater than 90 % of their waste from landfills. Apple Fifth Avenue joins 5 information facilities and 4 company campuses which have already earned the certification on the platinum degree. Throughout the provision chain, Apple and its suppliers redirected greater than 600,000 metric tons of waste from landfills in 2025, with 400 provider amenities actively taking part within the firm’s Zero Waste Program. All Apple merchandise proceed to ship from last 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, prospects who recycle an eligible Apple product at their native taking part Apple Retailer from now till Might 16 can obtain 10 % off Apple AirPods or equipment. Merchandise dropped at Apple totally free recycling endure thorough screenings, and eligible gadgets are despatched to Apple’s superior recycling programs, 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 items bought.
- Excludes stock for alternative and restore, in addition to extra stock bought previous to year-end at present being consumed and representing lower than 0.1 % of whole materials utilization.
- Apple achieved its objective of eradicating plastic in its packaging and transitioning to 100% fiber-based packaging. Each package deal manufactured at the moment is made with 100% fiber-based supplies. Apple’s objective excluded the inks, coatings, or adhesives utilized in its packaging. Present stock shipped with plastic-containing packaging can be bought till consumed to keep away from waste. This class represented lower than 0.4 % of Apple’s whole packaging footprint in fiscal 12 months 2025.
- Supply obtainable to prospects who recycle an eligible Apple system and buy a brand new eligible AirPods or accent in the identical transaction between April 16 and Might 16, 2026. Solely at Apple Retailer areas. See apple.com/promo for extra phrases.
- Financial savings from 2021 to 2025 had been calculated by multiplying annually’s gross sales quantity by the earlier 12 months’s estimated plastic per unit for every product line, after which subtracting that 12 months’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 gasoline equivalencies calculator: epa.gov/power/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator.
- Product recycled or renewable content material is the mass of licensed recycled materials relative to the general mass of the system, not together with packaging or in-box equipment.
- All established final-assembly provider websites — or these which have been Apple suppliers for multiple 12 months — 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 not less than 90 % diversion by means of strategies aside from waste-to-energy to realize Zero Waste to Landfill designations.
The data lined on this launch accommodates forward-looking statements inside the that means of the Personal Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, together with statements relating to our targets, targets, commitments, and methods. These statements contain dangers and uncertainties, and precise outcomes could differ materially from any future outcomes expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Extra info on dangers, uncertainties, and different potential elements that would have an effect on our enterprise and efficiency is included in our filings with the SEC.
Press Contacts
Sean Redding
Apple
Apple Media Helpline
