Sitting in my desk drawer at home is an old iphone 4, a macbook charger and an ipod that is so old it is no longer compatible with any current version of itunes. I am not keeping these for nostalgia, although I do have an emotional attachment to my first iPod. Rather I have no idea what to do with these outdated pieces of technology. Yes, there are recycling programs and buy back programs, but it was never clear to me what that actually meant, and where my old Apple products were going.
On March 21st, Apple hosted another unveiling of their newest products and features. Tim Cook, the current CEO, touched on an impressive fact: around the world, there are 1 billion Apple products in use. While this is great news for the Apple’s growth and bottom line, what does this mean for waste? I am surely not the only one confused about the growing pile of outdated technology that is accelerating with the constant development of products in the tech industry.
Apple has created a program called Apple Renew to battle the issue of e-waste. Customers can return their old products to recycle them, and the company will then take care of deconstructing the product. The pieces are then collected and reintroduced into the supply chain.
While I was excited to hear about this program, I have so many questions! And these questions only grew after I saw that Apple Renew was the sixth option to pop up on Google, with minimal information on the website. How can they recycle materials from iphones, ipods and macbooks that are years old? Have they planned the design of their newer products to incorporate older materials? What happens to the materials they recover that cannot be put to use? If production is overseas, and they are recovering the materials in store/regionally, what impact is oversea transportation having on the planet?
Reading about this initiative confirmed to me that this is an issue that Apple has not adequately addressed, especially considering how many of their products have been sold since their inception. However, I think that this is an area where Apple needs to put more resources, and develop this program further. In addition, more transparency about the programs aim, geographical sourcing, and environmental cost should be shared with consumers. Apple has always been considered an innovator and a market leader, however, they are falling short in their responsibility to the planet.
Like you, I own multiple Apple products! However, I never thought about where they go when I am done with them. Apple’s marketing strategy is built on the constantly upgrading their products. By continuously innovating, Apple tempts customers to purchase new products every couple years. They are not in the business of creating products that are going to last forever. Considering this strategy, one could assume this multi-million dollar company would produce a fair amount of waste, but we do not. Consumer behaviour studies show that people would rather just throw products away without considering where the product is going, then learn about the impact of their purchasing. Customers are distracted by the excitement of the new 6s model coming out, that they do not consider the negative effects this can have on our environment, I know I am. I think that is why Apple has never been forced to face this issue of creating waste first hand. I agree with you completely when you say that although this is a step in the right direction, however does not fully address the issue at hand. A company like Apple with a such a intense product turnover strategy, still has a long way to go. Great post Mina!!