Apple accelerates progress with highest-ever recycled material in its products

Apple announced in April 2026 that a record-breaking 30 percent of material used across all its products shipped last year came from recycled sources, marking the highest percentage ever achieved by Apple accelerates progress with highest-ever recycled material in its products. This milestone is significant for electronics recycling because it highlights the company's commitment to reducing e-waste and improving sustainability.

Last reviewed by Sarah Chen on 16 April 2026

How Does This Affect Electronics Recycling?

This development directly impacts the global push towards more sustainable practices in electronics recycling, as Apple sets a high standard that other manufacturers might follow. By incorporating 30 percent recycled materials into their products, Apple reduces the demand for virgin resources and lessens environmental degradation associated with mining.

According to the Counterpoint Research, The global refurbished smartphone market was worth $49.3 billion in 2023.

Apple's announcement is part of its broader initiative to move toward a circular economy model, which emphasizes reusing and repurposing materials rather than disposing of them. For instance, in 2025 alone, Apple recovered over 19,000 metric tons of aluminum from recycled devices, equivalent to nearly three times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

What Are the Key Materials Recycled by Apple?

In its latest products, Apple incorporates a variety of recycled materials, including aluminium, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements. For example, 20 percent of the cobalt in batteries for iPhone models comes from recycled sources, highlighting the company's efforts to reduce reliance on new mineral extraction.

According to the UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024, The value of raw materials in global e-waste was estimated at $91 billion in 2022.

Apple also uses recycled tin in its logic boards and tungsten in its Apple Pencil connector pins. These materials aren't only critical for device functionality but also highly valuable when recovered through recycling processes.

How Much E-Waste Does This Reduce?

While Apple's achievement is noteworthy, it's important to consider the broader context of global e-waste production. The United Nations estimates that the world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2024 alone. Even with Apple's significant contribution to recycling and sustainability efforts. Much work remains to be done across the entire electronics industry.

According to the Shift Project, manufacturing a new smartphone produces 50-80kg of co2 equivalent.

Apple's goal is to close the loop on material use by recovering more materials from its products than it uses in manufacturing them each year. As a result of these practices, Apple has prevented over 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere since 2018. This reduction equates to taking nearly four million cars off the road for one year.

What Are Other Companies Doing?

Other tech giants like Samsung and Dell have also made commitments to using recycled materials in their products, albeit not reaching Apple's current percentage yet. At Apple accelerates progress with highest-ever recycled material in its products, for example, Dell aims to achieve 50 percent of its product content from recycled or renewable materials by 2030, reflecting a growing industry-wide trend towards sustainability.

What Are the Implications for Consumers?

Consumers benefit from these initiatives as they contribute to reducing environmental impact and promote more sustainable consumption patterns. By choosing products with higher recycled material content, users can support companies that are taking proactive steps toward mitigating climate change and conserving natural resources.

the rise of urban mining-recycling precious metals and rare earth elements from discarded electronics-becomes increasingly viable as a source for raw materials in manufacturing processes. Urban mining has the potential to yield significant amounts of valuable materials; one million recycled smartphones could contain up to 35 kilograms of gold and over 150 kilograms of silver.

What Should People Do Now?

Individuals can take several steps to contribute positively towards sustainable electronics use:

• Recycle Responsibly: Ensure that you recycle old devices through certified e-waste recycling centers rather than disposing of them in regular waste streams.
• Extend Product Lifespan: Consider repairing or upgrading existing products instead of buying new ones, which supports the concept of planned obsolescence reduction.
• Support Right to Repair Initiatives: Advocate for laws that allow consumers greater access and support to repair their devices, reducing electronic waste.

For more information on recycling electronics safely and effectively, visit our guides on [right-to-repair](/guides/right-to-repair-what-it-means) and circular economy principles. By taking these actions, we can all play a part in conserving resources and protecting the environment.

Sources

• Counterpoint Research
• UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024
• Shift Project