When it arrives in November, the iPhone X will have less environmental impact than any of Apple’s previous products. The company has issued an environmental impact report for the high-end smartphone (PDF) that shows it is more recyclable than previous devices and is free from toxic materials.
The iPhone X uses no beryllium, brominated flame retardants, mercury or polyvinyl chloride, and the glass is arsenic-free. The frame of the phone is easily recycled stainless steel. The battery (Lithium Polymer) is free of mercury, lead and cadmium, heavy metals that have a severe environmental impact during mining, processing, and disposal.
Even the packaging of the iPhone X is almost as green as it gets: it’s made from 175 grams of fibers from bamboo, managed forests, recycled paper and waste sugar cane. The only plastic used is 8 grams of plastic film used to cover the box and wrap cables.
During its lifetime, each iPhone X (64GB model) produces 79 kilograms (174.17 pounds) of carbon dioxide. 80 percent of that CO2 is generated during production, 17 percent during consumer use, two percent during transport, and one percent during recycling. The 256GB model produces 93kg (205.03 lb) of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
