• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

2

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

3

A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'

1

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

2

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

3

A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
TechApple

New Report Sheds Light on Apple’s Recycling Requirements

By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 17, 2016, 11:48 AM ET
New Year's Resolutions
Destroy your Smartphone! A New Year's Resolution. These devices can take control of your life.Photograph by Kevin Schafer — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Have you ever wondered what happens to your iPhone after you trade it in at an Apple store?

On Tuesday, Bloomberg published a report detailing a used iPhone’s journey from the moment you hand it over to an Apple employee. In exchange for a used electronic device, Apple offers customers an Apple gift card that can be used towards new products.

Bloomberg spoke with anonymous sources—some of whom work at the recycling facilities your Apple (AAPL) product ultimately ends up—and Lisa Jackson, an Apple vice president in charge of environmental initiatives for the report.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

After trading in a device to Apple, it’s put through several tests to determine if it can be resold on the second-hand market. Devices with too much damage or deemed unsellable are sent directly to one of the several recycling facilities throughout the world.

Apple’s recycling process consists of “the most rigid and exacting” processes when compared to other technology companies, according to the report.

For more on Apple watch:

Apple contracts with various recycling facilities throughout the world, one of which is Li Tong Group. Li Tong is reportedly in the process of building a new facility in San Francisco, set to open this year.

Jackson claims Apple’s effort to reverse manufacture its products result in recycling 85% (by weight) of a device. The industry goal is to collect and recycle 70% of a device.

The recycling process involves 10 steps and some 50 rules each contractor has to agree to and follow. Each operation includes a series of vacuum-sealed rooms “designed to capture 100 percent of the chemicals and gasses released during the process,” the report said.

In 2014, Apple claims it collected enough steel to build 100 miles of railway track.

For more read Poll: Should Apple Help the FBI Unlock a Terrorist’s iPhone?

Linda Li, chief strategy officer for recycler Li Tong, told Bloomberg the company helps other customers repurpose components, such as camera modules for drones or turning old Microsoft Surface screens into displays for New York taxis.

That’s not the case with Apple; the report details how much effort Apple puts into preventing parts from older products being used in fake Apple products.

For example, Apple institutes a “full destruction” policy, meaning all chips and components from recycled products are shredded and rendered unusable instead of being repurposed. Only after a component is completely broken down can its valuable materials such as aluminum, gold, and copper be sold and repurposed.

Apple also requires its recycling partners to remove all Apple logos from the recycled goods.

About the Author
By Jason Cipriani
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

d
EnvironmentConsumer electronics
Almost 4 in 10 Americans have a ‘junk drawer’ full of their old electronics. It’s because of a very specific anxiety
By Eric Williams, Payam Saeedi, Stacey Watson and The ConversationJune 21, 2026
43 minutes ago
b
InnovationInfrastructure
Over 40,000 American bridges have structurally deficient ratings. Why aren’t we using quantum sensors on them?
By Alex Krasnok and The ConversationJune 21, 2026
1 hour ago
zak
CybersecuritySocial Media
The U.K. just banned social media for kids under 16. The founder of ‘safe TikTok’ says the U.S. is next
By Nick LichtenbergJune 21, 2026
2 hours ago
Sam Altman thinks AI will surpass human intelligence by 2030.  His rival AI billionaires say it’ll be even sooner
AISam Altman
Sam Altman thinks AI will surpass human intelligence by 2030. His rival AI billionaires say it’ll be even sooner
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 21, 2026
5 hours ago
ace
AIEconomics
Nobel Laureate Daron Acemoglu on the ‘brainless’ AI discourse, the myth of capitalism and the Gen Z revolution risk
By Nick LichtenbergJune 21, 2026
7 hours ago
Patricia Camden is EY Studio+ Customer Experience and Loyalty Leader
CommentaryConsulting
EY: we found your biggest AI blind spot. It’s called the ‘tempo gap’
By Patricia Camden and John DuboisJune 20, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
Health
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
By Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
22 hours ago
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
Economy
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
18 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
1 day ago
Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
Success
Former VP Kamala Harris says she went through a nine-hour interview to land the job—but she couldn’t escape ‘gold medal depression’ even when she won
By Emma BurleighJune 21, 2026
5 hours ago
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
Economy
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
By Tristan BoveJune 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.