Apple reports record use of recycled materials across products in 2025

Apple says 30 percent of the materials used in its products shipped in 2025 came from recycled sources, marking the company’s highest level to date. The update is part of its latest Environmental Progress Report, which outlines developments tied to its broader goal of becoming carbon neutral across its operations, supply chain, and product lifecycle by 2030.

The company also reported that all batteries it designs now use 100 percent recycled cobalt, while magnets across its devices rely entirely on recycled rare earth elements. In addition, Apple stated that printed circuit boards it designs now use fully recycled gold plating and tin soldering.

“At Apple, we believe deeply in leaving the world better than we found it, and that commitment runs across everything we do,” said Tim Cook, adding that environmental targets continue to shape product development and engineering decisions.


The report indicates that Apple’s greenhouse gas emissions remain over 60 percent lower than 2015 levels, unchanged from 2024 despite continued business growth. The company attributes this to increased reliance on renewable energy, changes in material sourcing, and efficiency improvements across its supply chain.

Packaging has been another area of focus. Apple says it has completed its transition to fibre-based packaging, eliminating plastic components. According to the company, more than 15,000 metric tonnes of plastic have been avoided over the past five years through these efforts.

Apple is also investing in recycling infrastructure. It recently introduced a new recycling system, Cora, at its Advanced Recovery Center in California, designed to improve material recovery from electronic waste. Alongside this, the company is deploying machine learning-based tools to help classify and sort recyclable materials more efficiently.

On energy, Apple reported that its suppliers collectively sourced over 20 gigawatts of renewable electricity in 2025, while the company itself added 1.8 gigawatts to power its offices, retail stores, and data centres. These efforts are part of a broader push to align product usage with clean energy generation.

Water conservation is another area highlighted in the report. Apple and its suppliers saved an estimated 17 billion gallons of fresh water last year. The company said its replenishment projects now offset more than half of the water used across its corporate operations, with a longer-term goal of full replenishment by 2030.

In product design, Apple pointed to its recently introduced MacBook Neo as its lowest-carbon laptop to date, incorporating a higher proportion of recycled materials and changes in manufacturing processes aimed at reducing both resource use and water consumption.

Waste reduction efforts are also ongoing. Apple reported a 75 percent waste diversion rate across its facilities, with some locations achieving higher thresholds under third-party certification standards. Across its supply chain, more than 600,000 metric tonnes of waste were diverted from landfills in 2025.

“Across every part of our business, we’re showing how innovation and collaboration can turn big ideas and bold ambitions into measurable progress,” said Sabih Khan, referring to the company’s ongoing environmental initiatives.

The updates come as part of Apple’s annual disclosure around Earth Day, offering a snapshot of progress as it continues to work toward its 2030 environmental targets.

As part of understanding this transition on the ground, ET last year visited the Redwood Creek forest in California to explore how Apple is approaching its 2030 carbon neutrality goal. During the visit, conversations with Lisa Jackson, who oversees the company’s environmental initiatives, offered insight into how these targets translate into real-world conservation and restoration efforts. You can watch the full video here.