Apple’s 2026 Environmental Progress Report says it achieved its goal of using 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, subject to the report’s inventory exclusions. That claim has a specific component scope: it does not mean every rare earth element in every Apple product was recycled. Apple environmental report
For products shipped in 2025, Apple reports that recycled rare earth elements accounted for 95% of its total rare-earth use. The difference between the magnet figure and the company-wide rare-earth figure is important. A result for a selected application cannot be extended to other uses without evidence.
The report’s accomplishment footnote excludes inventory for replacement and repair, along with excess inventory purchased before year-end that was still being consumed. Apple says the latter represented less than 0.1% of total material usage. Those qualifications belong with the claim, rather than being omitted from an unqualified statement about every item shipped.
The report also describes progress involving recycled cobalt in Apple-designed batteries and fiber-based product packaging. These are separate material and packaging measures. They should not be combined into a claim that all products consist entirely of recycled material.
Environmental reporting needs both attribution and boundaries. These figures are Apple’s reported results for specified components and periods; they are not an independent certification of every aspect of the company’s environmental performance. Readers comparing reports should check the material, product scope and year attached to each percentage. Apple announcement
Archive note: the earlier version incorrectly extended the 100% magnet figure to all rare earth elements across all products.