Apple Boosts Sustainability With 30% Recycled Materials Across 2025 Devices
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Apple devices in 2025 use 30% recycled materials overall.
All Apple-designed batteries now use 100% recycled cobalt.
Magnets across products rely fully on recycled rare earth elements.
Apple announced on April 15, 2026, that its 2025 product lineup has reached a new sustainability milestone, with 30% of materials used across devices coming from recycled sources. This marks the highest level of recycled content ever achieved by the company, covering products ranging from iPhones to MacBooks and Apple Watches.
The move reflects Apple’s broader strategy to reduce dependence on newly mined resources while maintaining its premium design and build standards. By tightening supply chain processes and expanding recycling technologies, the company is accelerating its shift toward a circular manufacturing model.
Devices such as the iPhone 16 series, MacBook Air with M4 chip, and Apple Watch Series 11 are among the key products benefiting from these changes, featuring enclosures made using post-consumer recycled aluminum.
Electronics manufacturing is heavily resource-intensive, and shifting to recycled materials reduces environmental damage from mining while improving long-term supply stability. For consumers, it means premium devices with a lower environmental footprint without compromising performance or build quality.
Apple’s focus goes beyond outer design, extending deep into critical internal components. The company highlighted 15 key materials that make up nearly 87% of its product mass, including cobalt, rare earth elements, gold, tin, and aluminum.
A major milestone is the use of 100% recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries across iPhones, MacBooks, and accessories. This is significant given the environmental and ethical concerns associated with cobalt mining. By recycling cobalt at scale, Apple is reducing reliance on newly mined sources while strengthening responsible sourcing practices.
Magnets used in speakers, Taptic Engines, and camera systems now also rely entirely on recycled rare earth elements. These materials are recovered through advanced recycling processes, including demagnetisation and material separation from old devices.
Additionally, printed circuit boards feature 100% recycled gold plating and tin solder, while aluminum enclosures across devices incorporate up to 71% recycled content. These combined efforts have helped Apple reach the 30% overall recycled materials benchmark.
Apple’s sustainability push extends across its global supply chain. Through its Zero Waste Programme, suppliers collectively diverted around 3.6 million tonnes of waste from landfills in 2025 alone.
The company is also investing in environmental restoration through its Restore Fund, supporting large-scale forest and ecosystem projects. Alongside this, Apple reports that its overall emissions have dropped by more than 60% since 2015, with a long-term goal of achieving full carbon neutrality by 2030.
Manufacturing improvements are also contributing to lower environmental impact. Products like the MacBook Air now use up to 55% recycled materials, while the Mac mini reaches around 50%. These changes help reduce the carbon footprint of devices by as much as 80% compared to using virgin materials.
Apple says all its corporate operations already run on renewable energy, and it continues to push suppliers to transition to clean energy through audits and incentives.
Other tech giants like Samsung and Dell have also increased their use of recycled materials in recent years, particularly in packaging and select components. However, Apple’s approach stands out due to its closed-loop supply chain strategy, where materials recovered from old devices are directly reused in new products at scale.
To support its recycling goals, Apple is increasingly relying on advanced disassembly and material recovery technologies. Its Daisy robot system plays a key role in this process, enabling efficient breakdown of old devices to recover valuable materials like cobalt.
This automation allows Apple to scale recycling without compromising material quality. The recovered materials are then reintroduced into new products, reinforcing a closed-loop system.
Packaging has also seen a major shift. Apple has transitioned to all-fiber packaging across its product lineup, eliminating the use of single-use plastics in retail boxes and shipping materials. This makes packaging easier to recycle and reduces overall environmental waste.
The company’s Environmental Progress Reports continue to be independently verified, ensuring transparency and credibility in its sustainability claims.
Apple’s journey toward higher recycled content has been gradual but consistent. The company used close to 20% recycled materials in 2021, which increased to 24% by 2024.
Key improvements over the years include expanding recycled rare earth usage from partial adoption to 100%, scaling aluminum recycling for device enclosures, and increasing trade-in volumes to support material recovery.
Trade-in programs have grown significantly, providing a steady stream of old devices that can be dismantled and reused. This has helped Apple strengthen its recycling ecosystem and reduce waste.
With the 2025 figure now reaching 30%, the company is moving closer to making recycled and renewable materials the default across its products.
These sustainability improvements are already reflected in Apple devices available globally, including in India through Apple Stores, online platforms, and retail partners.
Looking ahead, Apple is expected to further expand its use of recycled materials, particularly in key components like batteries and magnets. Continued investments in recycling technology and supply chain efficiency could push these numbers even higher in future product generations.
As upcoming devices, including next-generation iPhones and Mac chips, approach launch, Apple’s sustainability strategy is likely to remain a core focus alongside performance and design innovation.
FAQs
How does Apple’s use of recycled materials in 2025 products compare to previous years?
Apple increased recycled material content from approximately 20% in 2021 to 24% in 2024, reaching 30% in its 2025 lineup. This steady growth reflects expanded use of recycled rare earth elements, cobalt, aluminum, and other materials, marking the highest recycled content level ever achieved by the company.
What components in Apple devices now use 100% recycled materials?
In 2025, all Apple-designed batteries use 100% recycled cobalt, and magnets in speakers, Taptic Engines, and cameras rely entirely on recycled rare earth elements. Printed circuit boards use 100% recycled gold plating and tin solder, while aluminum enclosures incorporate up to 71% recycled aluminum.
How does Apple’s recycled materials initiative impact device performance and design?
Apple maintains its premium design and build quality while integrating recycled materials. The shift to recycled cobalt and rare earth magnets does not compromise battery life, durability, or device performance, allowing Apple to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing user experience.
What role does Apple’s Daisy robot play in its recycling process?
The Daisy robot enables automated disassembly and material recovery from old Apple devices. This technology efficiently separates valuable materials like cobalt, facilitating a scalable closed-loop recycling system that ensures high-quality recycled inputs for new products.
How does Apple assure transparency and trust in its sustainability claims?
Apple’s Environmental Progress Reports are independently verified to ensure credibility. Additionally, Apple enforces strict audits and incentives across its supply chain for responsible sourcing and clean energy usage, reinforcing trust in its sustainability initiatives.
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