When you deliver your old iPhone to Apple to recycle it, you probably ask what happens to him, and there is a complex process that reflects Apple's commitment to the environment. Beyond getting rid of a disuse device, the company Take advantage of each material to give it a new life and move towards a more sustainable future.
It all starts at the time you leave your iPhone in an Apple Store or send it through its recycling program. This is not the end of its history, but the beginning of a trip that makes advanced technology responsible with the environment.
What about the iPhone that we deliver to Apple
The collected devices are sent to specialized facilities where they are classified and evaluated. If any iPhone It can be reconditionedit is restored and sold as a renewed product, thus extending its useful life and reducing electronic waste.
However, for iPhones that are no longer functional, Apple has robots specifically designed to disassemble them. One of them is Daisy, a high precision machine that can disassemble up to 200 iPhones per hour. Daisy separates key components such as battery, screen, aluminum and circuit plates. This meticulous process not only allows Recover valuable materialsbut also minimizes the risks associated with hazardous waste.
The extracted materials have a fascinating destination. Aluminum, for example, melts and reused to manufacture new products, including other iPhones, iPads or even MacBooks. The cobalt of the batteries, a limited and vital resource for the technology industry, is recovered to manufacture new batteries. Thus, Apple closes the production cycle, reducing its mining dependence and decreasing its environmental footprint.
Apple shakes the environment
Apple's commitment is not limited to metal materials. The copper of the circuit plates, the gold of the electrical contacts and even the rare earths of the magnets are carefully recovered and reused. In addition, Apple constantly seeks ways to incorporate more recycled materials into its devices. According to the company, the iPhone 15 already included a higher percentage of aluminum and cobalt recycled in its manufacture, and with the iPhone 16 they continued in that line.
This also promotes innovation. Apple has developed new techniques to optimize material recovery and reduce waste. In addition, he collaborates with partners worldwide to improve recycling standards in the technology industry.
Apple recycling not only has an environmental impact, but also from the ethical plane. Reusing materials such as cobalt, the company reduces the need to extract them in areas where mining is linked to precarious working conflicts and conditions, reinforcing Apple's commitment to a fairer business model and respectful of the planet.
So, the next time you deliver an iPhone to recycle, remember that you are contributing to a responsible and meticulous cycle, in which your device will find a new life in the products of the future. This demonstrates Apple that even an act as simple as recycling an iPhone can have a significant impact on the environment and society.