Apple extends Carbon-Neutral Policy to entire manufacturing supply chain

Sputnik news agency and radio 16:28 GMT 21.07.2020

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US computer giant Apple, with its in-house operations already carbon neutral, announced a plan to extend the environmental policy to its entire manufacturing supply chain by 2030, according to a press release on Tuesday.

"The company is already carbon neutral today for its global corporate operations, and this new commitment means that by 2030, every Apple device sold will have net zero climate impact", the release said.

Apple’s 2020 Environmental Progress Report - also released on Tuesday - details its plans to reduce emissions by 75 percent by 2030 while developing carbon removal solutions for the remaining 25 percent of its comprehensive footprint, the release said.

Apple now has commitments from over 70 suppliers to use 100 percent renewable energy for Apple production, reducing carbon by over 14.3 million metric tons annually - the equivalent of taking more than 3 million cars off the road each year, the release said.

The company is also backing development of the first-ever carbon-free aluminum smelting process by two of its suppliers, and the release included an announcement that the first batch of low carbon aluminum will be used in the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

In addition, Apple is building robots that can disassemble iPhones to recover and rare-earth minerals for recycling in new products, the release said.

The plan also includes partnerships with the Conservation Fund, the World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International to restore degraded forests in China, the United States, Colombia and Kenya.