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Apple will now begin accepting old products for recycling at all of its retail stores worldwide, reports The Associated Press. While the company has had a recycling program for quite some time, the terms for trading in a product would vary by device category.

For instance, those looking to trade in a Mac or iPad for recycling were limited to filling out an online form and shipping it with a prepaid label, while those looking to drop off an iPhone or iPod could bring it into an Apple Retail Store or ship it to a recycling center.

Now, customers are welcome to bring in all products to any of its retail locations, where the company will recycle them for free. While all devices will be accepted for recycling at no charge, those who bring in products that are in fair condition will also receive a store gift card.

Apple made changes to its recycling program in 2011, expanding the program to include more devices and older computers. Last year, Apple also introduced an iPhone trade-in program that allowed customers to trade in a device for a gift card that could be used toward the purchase of a new iPhone, which has since expanded to multiple countries.

The move comes as Apple launched its "Better" environmental campaign yesterday ahead of Earth Day, which included a video detailing the environmental efforts of its Apple Campus 2 project. Apple will celebrate Earth Day at its retail locations around the world by giving its logos green leaves and having its employees wear special green shirts. The company will also reportedly hold an event at its main campus in Cupertino, California.


Article Link: Apple Now Accepting All Products for Recycling at Retail Stores
 

ahbiteme

macrumors member
Feb 25, 2008
40
45
Sydney, Australia
I think it's brilliant from an environmental perspective that they're doing this. But I imagine you'd only take them in for this if there was something wrong with them, they were no longer covered under warranty and no one wants to buy it for parts.

I would love to see the numbers for how many items the average store sees per day and, of those, how many are just busted iPods.
 

Exponent

macrumors 6502
Jul 17, 2002
255
618
Silicon Valley
From an unrepentant conservative… GREAT!

I'm someone who thinks that (detailed content self-censored that basically says I think Tim Cook, and massively board-member Al Gore, are wrong on the environmental front).

However, I have to say I'm fully behind this move, as it shows that the company at least takes responsibility for the equipment they put out into the world. Maybe not all equipment needs this policy, but consumer electronics are difficult for the unequipped to dispose of properly and even attempt to recycle.

Now, I hope Apple tries to recycle and dispose of the equipment in the country where it is used, so that we don't pass off to the poor and/or corrupt countries the burden of putting up with consumer waste of others, IF that waste is NOT able to economically be turned into something useful.

(And I'll finish by pushing for inexpensive energy, because it helps so much in making true recycling much more economically possible. Energy is a beautiful thing!)
 

till213

Suspended
Jul 1, 2011
423
89
Just to put this "great innovation" in context: in Switzerland every electronics store is obliged to take back any electronics devices - TVs, computers, microwaves, radios, ... - for recycling! No matter whether the device was actually bought in that store!

That service is already paid for when you buy the device - any electric or electronic device.

Want a reference? Here: http://www.erecycling.ch/faq-e-recycling#t25n115

Off course it is in german, but the first FAQ answer sais it all: "Überall dort wo diese Elektro- und Elektronikgeräte verkauft werden, können Sie diese auch zurückbringen." -> "You can return your devices at every store which sells electric and electronic devices".
 
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havit

macrumors newbie
I am glad to hear that .:)
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Apple will now begin accepting old products for recycling at all of its retail stores worldwide, reports The Associated Press. While the company has had a recycling program for quite some time, the terms for trading in a product would vary by device category.

For instance, those looking to trade in a Mac or iPad for recycling were limited to filling out an online form and shipping it with a prepaid label, while those looking to drop off an iPhone or iPod could bring it into an Apple Retail Store or ship it to a recycling center.

Now, customers are welcome to bring in all products to any of its retail locations, where the company will recycle them for free. While all devices will be accepted for recycling at no charge, those who bring in products that are in fair condition will also receive a store gift card.

Apple made changes to its recycling program in 2011, expanding the program to include more devices and older computers. Last year, Apple also introduced an iPhone trade-in program that allowed customers to trade in a device for a gift card that could be used toward the purchase of a new iPhone, which has since expanded to multiple countries.

The move comes as Apple launched its "Better" environmental campaign yesterday ahead of Earth Day, which included a video detailing the environmental efforts of its Apple Campus 2 project. Apple will celebrate Earth Day at its retail locations around the world by giving its logos green leaves and having its employees wear special green shirts. The company will also reportedly hold an event at its main campus in Cupertino, California.


Article Link: Apple Now Accepting All Products for Recycling at Retail Stores
 

Theclamshell

macrumors 68030
Mar 2, 2009
2,741
3
Just remember folks! If you want to recycle an old TAM then PM me and it will go to a good home! :p
 
Last edited:

sir1963nz

macrumors 6502a
Feb 9, 2012
735
1,216
Glad to hear that this is a global initiative.
Now, all we need is an Apple Store in Denmark.

And in New Zealand.
They do have a recycling centre.... in Hong Kong, which does NOT accept old MacBook batteries, the whole computer yes, the battery NO.
 

wschutz

macrumors 6502
Jun 5, 2007
295
106
So true, I'm glad you said it.

On topic: this is great. So many old iPods are now broken and just stuck in a drawer somewhere.

Does not your local municipality/county/whatever have a recycling program?
Here in Europe, and particularly in Spain and Sweden (speaking about both the countries I have lived and currently live) there are such services to recycle everything: electronics, used oil, appliances, furniture,... (besides the usual paper, glass and plastic) even debris from construction...

This is great idea from Apple (and of course marketized to sell more...) but I'd rather give business to a local/national company than to Apple itself for a small discount at best.

And it is funny how Apple actually uses the local services in Spain and Sweden: http://www.apple.com/recycling/nationalservices/europe.html
 

Xiroteus

macrumors 65816
Mar 31, 2012
1,297
75
That is if you have the time, effort or inclination to do so within your already busy life...

I imagine for some people a anything under fifty dollars may not be worth the time. Even less so if it involves setting up a sale etc... or people with money that don't care.

A $20 gift card for a computer that can be sold at over 20 times more? Call me in!!!

This is where you hope anyone with common sense would avoid. Now that broken device or something that's hardly worth a few dollars, sure.
 

chimpboy74

macrumors 6502a
Nov 12, 2007
554
2
Scotland
In Europe does this not fall under WEEE?

"The directive imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers or distributors of such equipment"

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/final_rep_okopol.pdf
 

JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
5,917
7,842
I'll have to stop by to get my gift cards for my G5 tower, iMac bondi 333, Mac 8500, Mac II ci, Mac 128, all which are in good working condition.
BTW do they take Image & Laser Writer printers too?
 

vault

macrumors regular
May 3, 2009
220
164
Just to put this "great innovation" in context: in Switzerland every electronics store is obliged to take back any electronics devices - TVs, computers, microwaves, radios, ... - for recycling! No matter whether the device was actually bought in that store!

That service is already paid for when you buy the device - any electric or electronic device.

Want a reference? Here: http://www.erecycling.ch/faq-e-recycling#t25n115

Off course it is in german, but the first FAQ answer sais it all: "Überall dort wo diese Elektro- und Elektronikgeräte verkauft werden, können Sie diese auch zurückbringen." -> "You can return your devices at every store which sells electric and electronic devices".

I'd rather "recycle" on my own than have recycling tax included in the price of every electronic prodyct I buy.
 

bommai

macrumors 6502a
May 23, 2003
743
417
Melbourne, FL
Do other stores do this such as best buy? I have a local best buy but apple store is 65 miles away. I have an old iMac G3 to recycle. It is dying.
 

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
This isn't actually to bad..

I always use Gazella, (or here in Australia, BoomerangBuyBack) to sell my gadgets, and comparing the differences... Its about the same for Apple Recycling.

I've never used it, but i may try it one day..
 
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