The global electronics giant Apple is trying to solve the growing problem of e-waste with the help of recycling robots: the new iPhone you use in the future may be made up of parts of your old iPhone.
According to a Fortune magazine report, Apple is carrying out the latest technology of “turning waste into treasure” in an industrial park in Austin, USA.
The robot arm can move up and down the conveyor belt quickly and accurately. Several technicians in blue lab coats, goggles and gloves watched one of the robot's hands roll around them through the mist on the glass. The fog was caused by severe frost in the room. The loud mechanical impact sound disturbed the low noise of the car and had an even effect.
According to reports, this complex automated mechanical system is called "Daisy", the successor to the previous generation of robot "Liam", which combines automation and humanized operation, which can be used from the original. Pure plastic, metal and glass fragments are separated from the iPhone.
According to Apple's Vice President of Environmental, Political and Social Initiatives, a lot of time has been spent on this project to get the machine to work together. This is a guarantee that an effective way of disassembling the product is used. Prior to joining Apple, she worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for five years.
Apple has always been proud of its green development, for example, a large part of its supply chain is driven by renewable energy. Now, it turns its attention to an equally thorny problem: the fast-growing, toxic waste electronic equipment fragments, also known as e-waste.
E-waste management is becoming an increasingly complex issue. According to the Global e-Waste Monitor, there were 44 million tons of e-waste in the world in 2016, which is equivalent to the height of 4,500 Eiffel Towers.
An associate professor at the Golisano Institute said that as companies introduce more fashionable and smaller products, the total amount of e-waste is actually decreasing. But she explained that a new problem is emerging. The products use now depend on increasingly complex rare earth materials and precious metal mixtures. As companies introduce new products faster and faster, even with automated systems. It may be difficult to keep up with this processing speed.
However, Apple did not give an indication of the extent of e-waste coverage caused by its products, but the data cited by Fortune shows that Apple sold 217.7 million iPhones in one year, averaging about 5 ounces per volume (about 147.85). Cubic centimeters, which means that Apple has invested about 68 million pounds of electronic materials on mobile phones worldwide, and if consumers lack better options for handling old phones, most of them will eventually become waste.
Apple announced a goal in 2017 that all products will use recyclable or renewable materials and will eventually use only that material. Apple did not say when the goal will be achieved, but it will not be realized soon. The above-mentioned Apple Material Recovery Lab in Austin was officially opened in April this year. Apple hopes to conduct research on recyclable materials through this laboratory. It further hopes to realize the company's recyclables here. aims.
"Western" represents Apple's "critical step" toward the goal. The robot debuted before Earth Day and was able to disassemble 15 different models of the iPhone at 200 units per hour (starting with the iPhone 5). 9 million iPhones have been recycled through Apple’s “trade-in” program. The Austin Lab’s machine and another Dutch machine are working together and are processing about 1 million of them. Most of the rest are refurbished and resold.
To achieve Apple's goals, this is a long road that requires the joint efforts of many industry players. Even the vice president said that at first, she did not believe that it was possible, but after talking to the engineers and team members, she realized that a complete overhaul was not only possible but also crucial. The company won't waste time on investment, long-term equipment utilization and material disposal, which is a problem we won't be able to solve.