Apple and the Environment

Apple has long been an advocate of product stewardship, and we believe that this concept extends to the proper disposal of used electronic equipment.

A holistic view

Apple takes a holistic view of recycling and waste minimisation. We apply this philosophy from the outset, beginning in the design stage by creating compact, ultra-efficient products that use high-recycling-value materials wherever possible. We have instituted recycling programs in 95 percent of the countries where our products are sold- diverting over 53 million pounds of equipment from landfills since 1994.

Product take-back and recycling

In 2007, Apple recycled nearly 21 million pounds of e-waste, the equivalent of 18 percent of the weight of all products sold seven years earlier and a 57% year-over-year weight increase. Apple’s recycling program has been so successful that the company is on track to exceed its 2010 goal of 28 percent of the weight of all products sold seven years earlier, two years ahead of schedule.

Apple maintains a variety of recycling programs, which add to recycling totals every day:

• For customers in the United States, Apple offers a free recycling program of old computers and displays with the purchase of a new Mac.
• A free iPod recycling programme, conducted through Apple’s retail stores, offers environmentally friendly disposal and a 10 percent discount on the purchase of a new iPod.
• Apple’s free recycling programme offers free and environmentally friendly disposal of your iPod or mobile phone — regardless of manufacturer or model.
• A trade-in program for educational and business customers in the United States has already diverted more than 270 tons of electronic waste from landfills since August 2005.
• Apple’s recycling partnership with the city of Cupertino, California, has recycled more than 340 tons of electronics. All electronics products are accepted free of charge, regardless of manufacturer.
• We also participate in recycling programs in Asia, including national programs in Japan and Taiwan.

We are committed to compliance with all applicable regulations and laws in this area, worldwide.

Responsible Recycling

All the e-waste we collect in North America is processed there and nothing is shipped overseas for disposal. Apple meets the requirements of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundry Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. In addition to annual compliance audits of our recycling vendors, we review the performance of their downstream vendors. Recyclers must comply with all applicable health and safety laws, and we do not allow the use of prison labour at any stage of the recycling process. Apple does not allow the disposal of hazardous electronic waste in solid waste landfills or incinerators, including waste-to-energy incinerators.

Thinking globally, acting locally

Apple strives to minimise the amount of waste generated at company offices and operations. When waste paper, glass, metals and plastics do arise from site activities, we ensure the materials are recycled properly. Some examples of our environmental progress include:

• Apple’s employee transit program provides a $100 subsidy for all US employees as an incentive for using public transportation and carpooling. For our largest facility, located in Cupertino, Apple has reduced single occupancy car usage by providing free bus service from from metropolitan areas and train stations to headquarters. This has taken approximately 4,500 cars off the road every day, the equivalent of 118,000 lbs (53,523 kg) of CO2e emissions every day.
• Apple’s Austin facility has participated in Austin “Green Choice” power for over 10 years purchasing energy from renewable sources, primarily wind and biomass. Apple’s continued participation in this program has helped avoid the equivalent of about 32,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
• Apple purchases 25% of our total energy demand for the company’s Cork, Ireland facility from renewable sources, predominantly wind power. The company expects to eliminate at least 2,000 tons of CO2e emissions in 2008.