Using 75% less Plastic
Another step taken by the company to reduce the effects their ICT caused on the environment is by using 75% less plastic in their products and packaging. They have begun to use recyclable plastic in their products, meaning once it is discarded, the plastic is then used again on other devices.
This past year, plastics accounted for only 4 percent of Apple’s packaging. Since 2015, they’ve dedicated efforts to replacing large plastic trays, wraps, and foam cushioning with fibre alternatives that have higher recovery rates and reduced environmental footprints. Steps are drastically taken toward eliminating the remaining plastic in packaging especially last year with the release of iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro — the first iPhone to be shipped without any plastic packaging components. To achieve this, they eliminated the polypropylene wrap around each box. The plastic wrap was being used since the launch of iPhone 8 to protect the box from damage and tampering – they wanted to retain the benefits of plastic wrap without the environmental impact, while creating a more accessible unboxing experience.
The packaging of the company team took on the challenge to achieve both. The team conducted user studies, assessed the weight and repulpability of materials, and prototyped designs. For this year’s iPhone release, they developed an alternative that relies on two small fiber-based pull-tabs. This replacement of traditional plastic wrap not only provides a tamper seal, it allows them to avoid an estimated 600 metric tons of plastic.
Below is a chart obtain from Apple showing their plastic elimination project.