According to PhoneArena , Apple has goals in place to reduce the environmental impact of e-waste, including the Daisy iPhone recycling robot that disassembles old iPhones. However, the company also relies on third-party partners to help with these efforts, one of which is called Alchemy.
Daisy Robot specializes in dismantling old Apple iPhones
Ireland-based Alchemy handles the entire recycling cycle of a device, including product trade-ins. When a device like an old iPhone or MacBook is traded in at an Apple Store, it is sent to Alchemy, which then takes over the process. Alchemy handles the recovery, repair, and resale of these devices.
The company is doing what it can to help reduce the massive e-waste problem the global economy creates each year. For example, by 2022, e-waste from discarded devices will reach 50 million tons.
Alchemy started small, but now has about 60 warehouses across the US, Europe and Asia. They ensure all sensitive data is wiped from the devices they receive, and Apple audits the company every six months. But not all recycled devices end up in Alchemy’s hands—if an old iPhone is turned in that’s in a condition beyond repair, for example, it might end up in the hands of Daisy, the recycling robot.
Once a device is wiped and refurbished, Alchemy sells it through a couple of different entities, Loop Mobile and Callisto. Loop Mobile can be found in major retailers like Amazon and Walmart, while Callisto goes to smaller retailers.
Loop Mobile is one of the sources of recycled iPhones.
It's no secret that Apple products retain their value. Alchemy says it sells more than 15,000 refurbished iPhone 8 models a day. "In the early 2000s, the technological advances between high-end models were huge. When a new device like a Nokia N95 or HTC came out, the older model quickly became obsolete. But now that technology gap has somewhat closed, and older phones still hold value. This is a game-changer for the refurbished market," said James Murdock, marketing director at Alchemy.
While Apple doesn’t directly profit from selling iPhones on the secondhand market, the circular tech industry would help the company. That’s because even used devices help increase Apple’s market share and boost other revenue streams, including its services division.
Apple will continue to use third-party companies like Alchemy in the future, but that doesn’t mean it’s weakening its own involvement in reducing e-waste. For example, the company plans to switch to using 100% recycled cobalt in iPhone batteries by 2025.
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