The protective cushion material selected by Apple uses the minimum amount of natural resources. Expanded Polystyrene uses less material in its design than any of the available alternatives. Design for Recyclability and Recycled Content Apple selects the most favorable materials available when it comes to recycling, Corrugated Kraft and Expanded Polystyrene. Corrugated Kraft allows maximization of recycled materials. Expanded Polystyrene is the only cushioning material that can be recycled back into its primary form, the most commonly recycled material of any cushioning material available, the only cushioning material that can contain recycled content.
Packaging designs allow for separation of materials.
No two different materials are permanently bonded. Immense efforts are made to select paper materials that are manufactured without chlorination. Greater than 90 percent of Apple's packaging is comprised of two materials, Expanded Polystyrene and Corrugated Kraft, both environmentally sound. That is not to say that other packaging materials are ignored. Other packaging materials are evaluated in accordance with our packaging policy.