Apple Watch Series 10: Product Environmental Report
Date introduced: September 9, 2024
Carbon Neutrality and Sustainability Overview
Apple Watch Series 10 is designed with a focus on carbon neutrality, utilizing over 30% recycled or renewable content. The manufacturing process is powered by 100% renewable electricity, and Apple is committed to reducing its overall carbon footprint, aiming for carbon neutrality across its entire value chain by 2030.
Key environmental initiatives include:
- Carbon Neutrality: Achieved through significant emissions reductions and the use of high-quality carbon credits for residual emissions.
- Recycled and Renewable Materials: Increasing the use of recycled content, such as recycled aluminum, titanium, cobalt, gold, steel, and tungsten, alongside renewable materials.
- Renewable Energy: 100% of manufacturing electricity is sourced from renewable energy. Apple also matches customer product use with low-carbon electricity.
- Transportation: Prioritizing non-air shipping (ocean, rail) for 50% or more of product weight.
- Smarter Chemistry: Eliminating harmful substances like arsenic, mercury, BFRs, and PVC.
- Longevity and Durability: Designed with durable materials, water resistance (50m under ISO 22810:2010), and IP6X dust resistance.
- Packaging: 100% fiber-based packaging with no plastic, using recycled or responsibly sourced wood fibers.
- Recovery: Offering Apple Trade In for device reuse or recycling.
Our Carbon Neutrality Strategy
Apple's overarching goal is to achieve carbon neutrality for its entire carbon footprint by 2030, reducing total carbon emissions by at least 75% compared to a 2015 baseline. The strategy for products like the Apple Watch Series 10 focuses on three main pillars:
- Transitioning to low-carbon electricity: Powering manufacturing and product use with renewable and low-carbon sources.
- Designing with recycled and renewable materials: Maximizing recycled content and using low-carbon materials where full transition isn't yet possible.
- Prioritizing lower-carbon shipping: Shifting from air freight to ocean or rail transport.
Carbon credits are applied only after substantial emissions reductions have been achieved through these methods.
Reducing Emissions: Key Approaches
Using Recycled and Renewable Materials
Apple is increasing recycled content in its products. By 2025, Apple plans to use 100% recycled cobalt in batteries, 100% recycled tin soldering, 100% recycled gold plating in circuit boards, and 100% recycled rare earth elements in magnets. Apple Watch Series 10 features over 30% total recycled content by weight. Specific examples include:
- Aluminum Case: 100% recycled aluminum.
- Glass (Ion-X front crystal): 10% recycled glass.
- Rare Earth Elements (in magnets): 100% recycled (99% of total rare earth elements).
- Titanium Case: 95% recycled titanium.
- Cobalt (in battery): 100% recycled.
- Gold (in circuit board plating): 100% recycled.
- Steel (speaker attachment, Taptic Engine): 80% recycled.
- Tungsten (in Taptic Engine): 100% recycled (100% of total tungsten).
- Copper (in circuit boards, Taptic Engine): 100% recycled.
- Plastic (speaker, other components): 25% renewable plastic, 25% post-consumer recycled plastic.
- Tin (solder): 100% recycled.
Smarter Chemistry
Apple Watch Series 10 is free from harmful substances such as brominated flame retardants, PVC, phthalates, arsenic in glass, and mercury. All materials adhere to Apple's Regulated Substances Specification, which often exceeds legal requirements.
Sourcing 100% Renewable Electricity for Manufacturing
100% of the electricity used to manufacture Apple Watch Series 10 is sourced from renewable energy. Apple is working with its suppliers to transition their operations to renewable electricity through the Supplier Clean Energy Program.
Matching Energy for Charging with 100% Low-Carbon Electricity
Apple matches 100% of the expected electricity consumption from customer product use with low-carbon electricity projects.
Increasing Non-Air Transportation
To reduce transportation emissions, Apple prioritizes lower-carbon modes like ocean or rail freight. For carbon-neutral Apple Watch products and bands, 50% or more of the total weight is shipped via non-air modes.
Carbon Footprint Breakdown
The report details the carbon footprint for various configurations of the Apple Watch Series 10. The calculation methodology follows ISO 14040, ISO 14044, and ISO 14067 standards, covering the product, components, and in-box accessories.
Example: Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular, Titanium Case with Milanese Loop
Baseline Emissions: 53.7 kg CO2e
Emissions Reductions: ~45.3 kg CO2e (over 80%)
Total Product Emissions: 8.4 kg CO2e
Carbon Credits Applied: ~8.4 kg CO2e
Net Emissions: 0 kg CO2e
The reduction is achieved through recycled/low-carbon materials, low-carbon electricity for manufacturing, and non-air shipping. The diagram visually represents these contributions, showing reductions in materials/process emissions and transportation, leading to a significantly lower total product footprint before carbon credits.
Example: Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular, Aluminum Case with Sport Loop
Total Product Emissions: 7.8 kg CO2e
Carbon Credits Applied: 7.8 kg CO2e
Net Emissions: 0 kg CO2e
Example: Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular, Aluminum Case with Milanese Loop
Total Product Emissions: 8.3 kg CO2e
Carbon Credits Applied: 8.3 kg CO2e
Net Emissions: 0 kg CO2e
Example: Apple Watch Series 10 GPS + Cellular, Titanium Case with Sport Loop
Total Product Emissions: 7.9 kg CO2e
Carbon Credits Applied: 7.9 kg CO2e
Net Emissions: 0 kg CO2e
Note: Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. The actual emissions avoided from recycled materials may be larger than quantified.
Taking Responsibility at Every Stage
Apple manages product responsibility across their life cycles, focusing on climate change impact, resource conservation, and safer materials.
- Design and Source: Maximizing recycled content, responsible sourcing of primary materials, and mapping materials to their sources. Apple requires audits for smelters and refiners of tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold, cobalt, and lithium.
- Make: Upholding high standards for labor, human rights, health, safety, and environmental impact among suppliers. All final assembly supplier sites use safer cleaners and degreasers, and 100% of manufacturing electricity is from renewable sources. Zero waste to landfill is achieved at established final assembly sites.
- Package and Ship: Removing plastic from packaging, increasing recycled content, and reducing volume. Prioritizing lower-carbon shipping modes.
- Use: Designing for energy efficiency, longevity, and safety. Providing software updates and expanding access to repairs. Matching product use energy with low-carbon electricity.
- Recover: Facilitating product reuse through Apple Trade In and maximizing material recovery at end-of-life through take-back and recycling programs.
High-Quality Carbon Removal
Apple's strategy prioritizes emissions reductions over carbon removal. For residual emissions, Apple invests in high-quality, nature-based carbon removal projects, often through funds like the Restore Fund. These projects are rigorously vetted for additionality, measurability, and permanence, aligning with standards like Verra and the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards.
The process for selecting carbon credit projects involves:
- Initial screening
- Desk-based review
- Remote sensing analysis
- Site visit
- Manager due diligence
- Financial due diligence
- ESG due diligence
- Final project approval
Projects are monitored, reported, and verified continuously. An example project mentioned is the Forestal Apepu Carbon Project in Paraguay, focused on sustainable reforestation and carbon sequestration.
Definitions
Key terms used in the report include:
- Bio-based plastics: Plastics made from biological sources instead of fossil fuels.
- Carbon footprint: Estimated emissions calculated using LCA methodology (ISO 14040, 14044, 14067), including production, transport, use, and end-of-life phases. Uses IPCC AR6 GWP100.
- Carbon neutral: Net carbon footprint of zero, achieved through gross emissions reductions and, where necessary, carbon credit retirement.
- Low-carbon electricity: Renewable electricity and other fossil-free sources (e.g., nuclear, large-impact hydro).
- Low-carbon materials: Materials produced with reduced carbon impact (e.g., aluminum smelted with hydroelectricity).
- Recycled materials: Sourced from recovered rather than mined materials, verified by third parties.
- Renewable materials: Bio-materials managed for continuous production without depleting resources, often certified.
- Supplier Clean Energy Program: Apple's initiative to help suppliers transition to 100% renewable energy for Apple production.
Certifications
SCS Global Services has certified various Apple Watch Series 10 configurations as Carbon Neutral, based on cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas emissions. For example:
- Aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 with Sport Loop: Verified emissions 7.80 kgs CO2e per unit.
- Aluminum Apple Watch Series 10 with Milanese Loop: Verified emissions 8.30 kgs CO2e per unit.
- Titanium Apple Watch Series 10 with Sport Loop: Verified emissions 7.90 kgs CO2e per unit.
- Titanium Apple Watch Series 10 with Milanese Loop: Verified emissions 8.40 kgs CO2e per unit.
These certifications are valid for specific periods, typically covering commitments from late 2024 to late 2026.
External Links
- For recycling information: apple.com/recycle
- For methodology details: apple.com/environment/answers
- For Apple 2030 goals: apple.com/2030
- For GreenScreen assessment: greenscreenchemicals.org
