Apple's Daisy - more than a fleeting bloom?

Johannes Wild, Head of Advocacy, Grants & Consultancy, takes a stand:

Anything that helps is good!That said, recycling isn't the best solution. At iFixit, we believe in fewer but better products. The most sustainable device is the one you already have. Helping extend the life of devices is something we see as our central and most important mission. About 62% of global greenhouse gas emissions are released in the "extraction," "processing," and "manufacturing" phases—the best way to minimize the impact of those emissions are circular economy strategies that extend product life and intensity of use. The materials and energy that go into today's smartphones, among other electronics, are catastrophic relative to their current lifespan. Even doubling the current lifespan—while obviously desirable and beneficial—would not be sufficient given the urgency of the climate crisis. The Right to Repair Coalition calls for a ten-year lifespan for smartphones. This requires radical changes in the industry, including software updates, availability of replacement parts, access to diagnostic and repair tools, repair-friendly design, and resource-efficient operating systems, as well as a shift in public and individual thinking. Recycling is a last resort, and the most wasteful of the potential R (repair, reuse, refurbish, recycle) cycles. Improving recycling is a necessary effort, but it doesn't remotely solve the root problem.

However I disagree that Daisy is merely PR, I see it as a serious attempt to explore how recycling might work in a best-case scenario. Given Apple's commitment to using only recycled and renewable materials in their products, it makes sense to test recycling strategies. Apple has developed Dave and Liam in addition to Daisy, so it's not a one-off experiment either."

So Daisy is more than just a short-lived daisy.... But, we’ll need a lot more to complete the e-waste management bouquet we need.