Recycling robot 'Daisy' part of Apple's effort to end mining for resources
Apple's efforts to improve its recycling has an end goal of becoming a "closed-loop" manufacturer in the future, an extremely difficult goal to accomplish, and one that would end the need to mine for new materials if achieved by the iPhone maker.
The Cupertino-based company has spent many years trying to be as ecologically conscious as possible in many different areas. However, efforts in manufacturing could be further improved by increasing Apple's usage of recycled materials in its products.
One example of this is the use of completely recycled aluminum in the 2018 MacBook Air and Mac mini.
By eliminating the need to use new materials, this would potentially lower the need for the creation and usage of mines, with a so-called "closed-loop" system potentially eliminating the need to mine altogether. In a report from Reuters, Apple claims it is planning to become a closed-loop manufacturer.
The Daisy recycling robot is part of the plan to close the loop, with the machine used to recoup 14 materials from old iPhones including aluminum, tin, cobalt, and rare earths. Up to 200 iPhones per hour can be disassembled by Daisy, with components freed by the process sent off to recyclers for further extraction and refinement.
Lisa Jackson, Apple's head of environment, policy, and social initiatives, told the report the iPhone was the first product selected for Daisy disassembly due to its mass popularity. Indeed, the recycling efforts have led Apple to consider sharing some of the technology used for Daisy with other companies, including those producing electric vehicles.
Despite the ecological effort, critics of the scheme claim it is more a publicity stunt than a serious effort. Device repair outfit iFixit chief executive suggests "There's this ego that believes they can get all their minerals back, and it's not possible."
International Council on Mining and Metals trade group president Tom Butler also believes Apple is in an "enviable position" because it is able to perform such large-scale recycling efforts. "Not everyone else will be able to follow suit."
With the rise of electric vehicles, mining executives insist the need to acquire new materials at a larger scale is inevitable, something not lost on Apple. "We're not necessarily competing with the folks who mine," Jackson proposes. "There's nothing for miners to fear in this development."
The Cupertino-based company has spent many years trying to be as ecologically conscious as possible in many different areas. However, efforts in manufacturing could be further improved by increasing Apple's usage of recycled materials in its products.
One example of this is the use of completely recycled aluminum in the 2018 MacBook Air and Mac mini.
By eliminating the need to use new materials, this would potentially lower the need for the creation and usage of mines, with a so-called "closed-loop" system potentially eliminating the need to mine altogether. In a report from Reuters, Apple claims it is planning to become a closed-loop manufacturer.
The Daisy recycling robot is part of the plan to close the loop, with the machine used to recoup 14 materials from old iPhones including aluminum, tin, cobalt, and rare earths. Up to 200 iPhones per hour can be disassembled by Daisy, with components freed by the process sent off to recyclers for further extraction and refinement.
Lisa Jackson, Apple's head of environment, policy, and social initiatives, told the report the iPhone was the first product selected for Daisy disassembly due to its mass popularity. Indeed, the recycling efforts have led Apple to consider sharing some of the technology used for Daisy with other companies, including those producing electric vehicles.
Despite the ecological effort, critics of the scheme claim it is more a publicity stunt than a serious effort. Device repair outfit iFixit chief executive suggests "There's this ego that believes they can get all their minerals back, and it's not possible."
International Council on Mining and Metals trade group president Tom Butler also believes Apple is in an "enviable position" because it is able to perform such large-scale recycling efforts. "Not everyone else will be able to follow suit."
With the rise of electric vehicles, mining executives insist the need to acquire new materials at a larger scale is inevitable, something not lost on Apple. "We're not necessarily competing with the folks who mine," Jackson proposes. "There's nothing for miners to fear in this development."
Comments
Then, maybe the quote is taken out of context as surely he thinks that having 20, 30, 50% use of recycled materials is better than 0%.
Even so, I can't blame them for wanting some publicity from their efforts. Who wouldn't?
On a higher level, what really achieves change is legislation. Things like WEEE and RoHS have had a big impact and companies have had no option but to comply.
"publicity stunt" as in we are the largest company in the world and are showing y'all if we can do it others can as well. endless consumerism has taken its toll Apple is hoping to persuade other to follow, that's how change for the better happens.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bu-gl7v-P8
2019-04-alternatives-ease-demand-scarce-rare-earth.html
...what a maroon. He’s actually trying to spin an effort to use existing materials as a negative ego thing. WTF is wrong with this guy.
Also, using existing materials isn’t the same as claiming they’ll get all their minerals used by each and every product back. Conflation or strawman, you decide.
iFixit doesn't do any repairs themselves. You cannot send your iPhone in to them for repair. They don't sell any parts other than screens, batteries. Oh, they do sell a replacement home button with the caveat that Touch ID functions cannot be restored. They sell cheap tools and offer user submitted instructions on how to take things part. That's it. Their loudmouthed CEO has an axe to grind over how difficult something is to take apart and repair. And as for the title CEO I suspect that iFixit is probably a one or two man operation in a rented office space.
Regardless of what Apple can achieve, this is a great thing.
Apple can do better—we can all do better—but you can't find a corporation as large and successful as Apple that does better at responsible sourcing of raw materials.
Yeah, they do sell Home Buttons and Touch ID won't work since the Touch ID button is tied to the logic board's Secure Element for security, but that's a good thing and not exactly a reason to hate iFixit for that. I recently bought a Home Button for an old iPhone specifically because it would go to someone that already doesn't use Touch ID.
If you have a cracked display and don't have AC+ you can make an iPhone that would have zero value as a trade-in be worth hundreds of dollar. That's a net gain for a fairly simple repair.