Apple highlights device recycling, iPhone trade-in, and the removal of leather for Earth D...
Building up to Earth Day, Apple is highlighting it's wide device recycling program, how to trade in old iPhones, and how it has eliminated the use of leather in it's products.
Image Credit: Apple
Apple has refreshed its trade-in page ahead of Earth Day, prompting users to rummage through their tech stash for things that can be traded in or recycled.
"This Earth Day, let's put your used device to good use. You can trade it in and get credit toward your next purchase," Apple's trade-in page reads. "Or if it's not eligible, we'll recycle it for free."
The page offers a convenient jump-off point for initiating a trade-in. Apple's trade-in program allows users to trade in an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac or select Android devices for credit toward a new Apple device or an Apple gift card.
Even if your device isn't eligible for trade-in, Apple will recycle it for free. Apple accepts a wide range of items, including Apple devices, batteries, cables, cases, monitors, packaging, and more.
Apple has also uploaded a short video reminding users that its iPhone accessory line no longer uses leather. Apple discontinued the use of leather in its products in 2023, controversially rolling out FineWoven as an alternative instead.
So far, the debut hasn't been great. FineWoven doesn't appear to be a great iPhone case material -- but is faring better as an Apple Watch band.
In 2020, Apple announced that it would shoot for total carbon neutrality across all of its business aspects by 2030, 20 years sooner than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change targets are aiming for.
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Comments
Is Apple buying into the vegan philosophy, wholesale? That certainly does not reflect the vast majority of Apple’s customers’ views.
So instead of a product that eats literal atmospheric carbon**, you add ground carbon into the system until finewoven is 100% recycled. Let's not forget that finewoven is junk with little to no durability, nor does age well.
It's odd that Apple never addresses the elephant of their product in these Earth reports: raw consumerism. They build devices with good build quality and quality life spans but cut the device off if it can't run the latest feature set, even if Users were happy with the feature set at purchase but would like to stay compatible otherwise***.
Keeping the device in active use is the best outcome, even if the device is highly recycled post-use. With much of brand value tied to the longevity of the products, it should be the first point they make, say with an average fleet age. We have an office of 27inch iMacs great screens could easily work as monitors for new Mseries machine with the bonus of redundant cover. But how long will continuity work once the machines can't run the latest O/S then have to head to recycling for no good reason.
* there are plenty of ways to reduce meat consumption, waste and production and still have more than enough leather for cases.
** manufacturing still matters but that is equally true of the replacement.
*** I for one would be happy to pay continued support.
In the EU it's worth highlighting that the 'for free' part is not something that can be avoided. From the WEEE directive:
"Users of EEE from private households should have the possibility of returning WEEE at least free of charge. Producers should finance at least the collection from collection facilities, and the treatment, recovery and disposal of WEEE"
It even allows for member states to require the inclusion of forecasted costs of recovery/recycling and safe disposal in the purchase price.
In reality the costs (including transport and storage costs) are included up front anyway in the purchase price.
All member states also have the task of legislating for failure to comply by end users.
I wonder if the US has states with similar obligations. California?