Apple Buys First Carbon-Free Aluminum From Alcoa-Rio Tinto JV

Apple says it is taking delivery this month of the first batch of carbon-free aluminum produced by a joint venture of Alcoa and Rio Tinto, helping it move closer to its greenhouse gas reduction goal.

Elysis, a joint venture of the top major aluminum producers and backed by Apple, uses new technology that emits pure oxygen when producing aluminum; Apple has said that 80% of its emissions from the iPhone 8 came during the production phase.

“For more than 130 years, aluminum – a material common to so many products consumers use daily – has been produced the same way, That’s about to change,” says Lisa Jackson, Apple’s VP of environment, policy and social initiatives.

The metal to be shipped to Apple was produced at the Alcoa Technical Center in Pittsburgh, and Rio’s commercial network is handling the delivery.―Seeking Alpha