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Apple says it has reached a new environmental milestone, with 30% of materials used across all products shipped in 2025 coming from recycled sources, reportedly the highest level in the company’s history.
The update, published alongside its latest Environmental Progress Report, marks a notable step forward in a sustainability strategy the company has been building for nearly a decade. Back in 2017, the tech giant outlined an ambitious, and at the time largely theoretical, vision of eliminating the need for newly mined minerals altogether, instead relying entirely on recycled materials. Executives acknowledged then that there was no clear roadmap to achieve that goal.
While that end-state still appears some distance away, Apple’s latest figures suggest measurable progress. The company now uses 100% recycled cobalt in all batteries it designs and 100% recycled rare earth elements in magnets. It has also completed its transition to fully fibre-based packaging, removing plastic from product boxes.
Furthermore, Apple says its greenhouse gas emissions remain more than 60% lower than 2015 levels, holding steady year-on-year despite continued growth. The company is also beginning to reflect these efforts more directly in its products. Last month, Apple introduced the MacBook Neo, described as its lowest-carbon MacBook to date. The device features 60% recycled content overall, reportedly the highest of any Apple product, including fully recycled cobalt in its battery and recycled rare earth elements in its magnets.
Much of Apple’s broader environmental progress continues to be driven through its supply chain, where suppliers are reportedly increasingly shifting to renewable energy and adopting stricter material sourcing standards. The company also continues to invest in recycling technologies to recover more usable materials from older devices, gradually reducing its reliance on newly mined resources. Moreover, the company also highlighted ongoing work across areas such as clean energy, water conservation, and waste reduction.
The update arrives as the tech giant marks Earth Day, using the occasion to showcase its environmental progress and promote its recycling programmes. As part of its Earth Day initiative, customers who bring eligible Apple devices to participating Apple Stores between now and May 16 can receive 10% off Apple AirPods or accessories.
Finally, Apple’s long-term ambition, to build devices without extracting new raw materials, still represents a significant technical and logistical challenge. But compared to where it stood in 2017, the company is no longer just outlining a vision; it is, at least incrementally, putting numbers behind it.