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Making an iPhone produces most of its lifetime carbon footprint: Apple's Product Environmental Report for the iPhone 16 128GB lists a lifecycle footprint of 56 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), with 80% from production, 18% from use, 3% from transport and under 1% from end-of-life processing. Because production dominates, keeping an existing iPhone in use longer, by selling it to a new owner, avoids more impact than recycling it early. Recycling still matters at the end of a phone's life, because it recovers metals for new products. Selling a working phone starts its second life. What Happens to Your iPhone After You Sell It explains the path.
- Lifecycle footprint: 56 kg CO2e for an iPhone 16 128GB, per Apple.
- Production share: 80% of that footprint.
- Use assumption: 3 years of use by first owners in Apple's model.
- Best choice for a working phone: reuse first, recycle at end of life.
How much carbon does making an iPhone produce?
Making an iPhone produces the largest share of its carbon footprint. The table shows Apple's figures for the iPhone 16 128GB.
| Life cycle stage | Share of footprint | Approximate kg CO2e |
|---|---|---|
| Production | 80% | About 45 |
| Product use | 18% | About 10 |
| Transportation | 3% | About 2 |
| End-of-life processing | Under 1% | Under 1 |
| Total | 100% | 56 |
The kilogram figures are rounded from Apple's percentages and total. Apple's model assumes 3 years of use by first owners. Larger storage and Pro models have higher footprints, listed in each model's report.
Why is reuse better than recycling?
Reuse is better than recycling for a working phone for 3 reasons:
- It spreads production impact over more years: a phone used for 5 years instead of 3 serves more use from the same manufacturing footprint.
- It can replace a new purchase: a buyer who chooses a used phone may skip buying a new one, avoiding another phone's production.
- Recycling recovers materials, not the manufacturing energy: the energy used to make chips, displays and assemblies is lost when a phone is shredded.
The EPA's waste hierarchy places reuse ahead of recycling for the same reason. Recycling remains the right choice when a phone has no reuse value. Recycle or Sell Your Old iPhone? How to Decide covers the decision.
What happens to refurbished iPhones?
Refurbished iPhones follow 5 steps before reaching new owners:
- Testing of every function and cosmetic grading.
- Data erasure and confirmation that Activation Lock is off.
- Repair where needed, such as a new battery or screen.
- Cleaning and packaging.
- Resale with a warranty from the refurbisher, or through carrier and retail programs.
Phones with too many faults for refurbishment are used for parts, and the rest are recycled. Used vs Refurbished iPhone Prices: Why They Differ explains refurbished pricing.
Which recycled materials are in new iPhones?
Apple's report for the iPhone 16 lists recycled content in several materials. The table summarizes them.
| Material | Recycled content in the iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Cobalt | 100% recycled in the battery, using mass balance allocation |
| Lithium | 100% recycled in the battery cathode |
| Rare earth elements | 100% recycled in all magnets |
| Aluminum | 85% recycled in the enclosure |
| Tungsten | 100% recycled in the Taptic Engine |
| Gold | 100% recycled in camera wire, USB-C connector plating and several circuit boards |
| Whole device | More than 30% recycled or renewable content |
Recycling old phones supplies part of these materials, which reduces mining.
How much longer can a used iPhone last?
A used iPhone can often last several more years with a second owner, because Apple supports models with major iOS versions for about 6–7 years. iOS 27 runs on the iPhone 11, released in 2019. A phone sold after 2–3 years with its first owner can serve a second owner for 3 or more years, especially with a battery replacement. Which iPhones Still Get iOS Updates? lists supported models.
Does a battery replacement help the environment?
A battery replacement extends a phone's useful life at a small fraction of the impact of a new phone, because the battery is one component. Apple's design target is that iPhone 15 and later batteries retain up to 80% of original capacity at 1,000 complete charge cycles under ideal conditions, and a replacement restores capacity for another cycle of use. Refurbishers often replace batteries before resale for this reason.
What is the impact of electronic waste?
Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. The United Nations' Global E-waste Monitor 2024 reported 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022, with about 22% documented as properly collected and recycled. Phones are a small share by weight but contain valuable and hazardous materials, including lithium-ion batteries. Reuse and proper recycling keep these materials out of landfills.
Does Apple recycle iPhones itself?
Apple recycles iPhones through its Apple Trade In program and uses disassembly robots, such as Daisy, to separate components and recover materials that conventional recycling cannot recover efficiently. Apple publishes progress on recycled materials in its annual Environmental Progress Report. Devices with trade-in value are often refurbished first.
How can I reduce my phone's environmental impact?
Reduce a phone's environmental impact with 5 habits:
- Keep the phone longer, with a case and a screen protector.
- Replace the battery instead of the phone when battery health falls.
- Sell or give the phone away when upgrading, instead of storing it.
- Recycle phones with no reuse value at certified recyclers.
- Choose used or refurbished phones when buying.
Is selling an old phone soon after upgrading better?
Selling an old phone soon after upgrading is better for both value and impact. The phone returns to use while it is still current, and its battery has not aged in a drawer. Phones stored for years often become harder to reuse. Selling an iPhone After Upgrading: A Same-Week Plan covers a quick sale.
How does extending use change the yearly footprint?
Extending use lowers the production footprint per year of use. The table applies Apple's iPhone 16 128GB production figure of about 45 kg CO2e to different service lives, as a simple illustration that ignores repairs and use-phase changes.
| Total years in use | Production footprint per year |
|---|---|
| 3 years, one owner | About 15 kg CO2e |
| 5 years, two owners | About 9 kg CO2e |
| 7 years, two or three owners | About 6 kg CO2e |
The calculation divides the production share by years of use. Real outcomes depend on whether the used phone replaces a new purchase and on any repair parts needed.
What makes an iPhone easier to reuse?
Four factors make an iPhone easier to reuse: long iOS support, which keeps it useful; a replaceable battery through Apple and independent repair; durable materials, such as aluminum and titanium frames with tougher glass; and Activation Lock removal by the seller, which lets a new owner set it up. Phones that remain Activation Locked cannot be reused and can only be recycled.
Do repairs count as reuse?
Repairs count as a form of reuse, because they keep a phone in service instead of replacing it. Apple's Self Service Repair program and its parts and tools for independent repair shops extend repair options. A repaired phone sold to a new owner combines both forms of reuse. iOS records repairs in Parts and Service History, which helps buyers understand the phone's history.
How do refurbishers decide what to repair?
Refurbishers decide what to repair by comparing the repair cost with the resale value after repair. A new battery or screen is often worth it for recent models, while logic board faults on older models usually are not. Phones that are not worth repairing supply parts for others, which extends the life of more phones.
Does shipping a phone for resale add much impact?
Shipping a phone for resale adds a small amount of impact compared with production. Apple's report attributes 3% of an iPhone 16's lifecycle footprint to transport, including shipping from factories worldwide. A domestic ground shipment of one small parcel is a minor addition compared with manufacturing a new phone.
Why does storing old phones waste resources?
Storing old phones in drawers delays both reuse and recycling, so the materials and manufacturing energy sit idle. Batteries also age in storage. Selling or recycling a replaced phone within weeks keeps it useful.
How do I start reusing my old iPhone?
Start reusing an old iPhone in 4 steps: back up and transfer data to the new phone, sign out of the Apple Account so Activation Lock is off, erase all content and settings and request a quote. iPhone 11 and later models, plus the iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generation, are bought for cash in working and damaged condition. Sell iPhone for Cash gives a quote, and the free prepaid label covers shipping.
Are used phones as reliable as new ones?
Used phones tested and graded by a buyback or refurbisher are usually reliable for daily use, because faults are found and either repaired or disclosed in the grade. Battery health is the main difference, and a replacement restores it. Many refurbishers offer warranties, which support confidence in reuse.
How does Apple's own reporting describe reuse?
Apple's environmental reporting describes extending product life, through durability, software support, repair and trade-in, as part of its strategy to reduce emissions. Its trade-in program refurbishes eligible devices for new owners before recycling the rest. Independent buybacks and refurbishers serve the same purpose for phones outside Apple's program.
Do accessories add environmental impact?
Accessories add impact too, which is one reason Apple stopped including power adapters in iPhone boxes in 2020. Reusing existing USB-C cables and chargers with a new phone avoids extra production. Recycle worn accessories at e-waste drop-offs rather than discarding them.
Does the size of the phone change its footprint?
Larger and higher-storage models have larger footprints, because they use more materials and larger components. Each model's Product Environmental Report lists its figure, so compare the report for the exact model and storage.
Is a refurbished phone a sustainable purchase?
A refurbished phone is usually a more sustainable purchase than a new one, because it uses an existing device and avoids most of the production footprint that a new phone carries. It also costs less, which helps more people choose reuse.
Does Apple's footprint figure include the charger?
Apple's figure covers the iPhone and its packaging as sold, which since 2020 has not included a power adapter.
Frequently asked questions about reusing an iPhone
What is the carbon footprint of an iPhone?
Apple's Product Environmental Report lists a lifecycle footprint of 56 kg CO2e for the iPhone 16 128GB: 80% from production, 18% from use, 3% from transport and under 1% from end-of-life processing. The model assumes 3 years of use by first owners. Larger storage and Pro models have higher figures in their own reports.
Is it better to reuse or recycle an iPhone?
Reusing a working iPhone is better than recycling it, because about 80% of its lifetime carbon footprint comes from production, and reuse spreads that impact over more years while recycling recovers only materials. Recycling is the right choice when the phone has no reuse value or a damaged battery. Selling a working phone keeps it in use longer and delays the need for recycling.
How much recycled material is in a new iPhone?
Apple reports that the iPhone 16 contains more than 30% recycled or renewable content, including 100% recycled cobalt in the battery, 100% recycled lithium in the battery cathode, 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 85% recycled aluminum in the enclosure. Apple publishes a Product Environmental Report for each iPhone model with these figures.
What happens to iPhones that are sold?
Sold iPhones are tested, erased and graded, then refurbished and resold, repaired, used for parts or recycled, depending on condition. Most working phones return to use with a new owner, which extends the useful life of the phone's manufacturing footprint and can replace a new purchase. Recycle phones with no reuse value at certified recyclers rather than storing them.
How much e-waste does the world produce?
The United Nations' Global E-waste Monitor 2024 reported 62 million tonnes of e-waste generated worldwide in 2022, with about 22% documented as properly collected and recycled. Reusing phones and recycling them properly at the end of their life keep valuable and hazardous materials out of landfills. A battery replacement can extend a phone life for another owner at low impact.
Sources and references
- Apple: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus Product Environmental Report, September 2024.
- United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and ITU: Global E-waste Monitor 2024.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): sustainable materials management and the waste hierarchy.