Last August, Apple expanded its recycling program in the United States to allow customers to turn in their used iPhones and iPads for Apple gift cards.

uk iphone recycling
As noted by Macworld UK and Macerkopf.de [Google translation], Apple has once again expanded its recycling efforts by bringing a similar initiative to the UK, France, and Germany. But rather than offering payment in the form of an Apple gift card, the program in these countries offers users cash deposited into their bank accounts.

With the Reuse and Recycling Programme, you could turn your old equipment into a brand-new Mac, iPod, iPhone or iPad.

Whether it’s an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC computer, working or not, we’ll take it and determine if it qualifies for reuse and has a monetary value. If it does, the amount will be credited directly into your bank account. If it doesn’t, you can recycle it responsibly through one of our free recycling programs.

The program, offered in conjunction with the German arm of electronics recycler Dataserv, builds upon Apple's existing programs for recycling Macs, PCs, batteries, iPods, and mobile phones.

Apple supports recycling efforts in a number of other countries through third-party organizations with details for each region of the globe available from Apple's main recycling program pages.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forums: iPad, iPhone

Top Rated Comments

WeegieMac Avatar
172 months ago
My 20" Aluminium iMac from mid 2009?

Cost me £829 ... offering me £147 if I wanted to sell it.

iPhone 4 16GB black? Cost me £500 new almost a year ago to the day (warranty expires in 2 days) ... £177.

I'd rather rub my balls with sandpaper.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ants42 Avatar
172 months ago
Nice one, Apple

iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrboult Avatar
172 months ago
iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.

That's is amusingly poor on Apple's part.

My 20" Aluminium iMac from mid 2009?

Cost me £829 ... offering me £147 if I wanted to sell it.

iPhone 4 16GB black? Cost me £500 new almost a year ago to the day (warranty expires in 2 days) ... £177.

I'd rather rub my balls with sandpaper.

I nearly soiled my self with laughter at that comment.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TwoBytes Avatar
172 months ago
iPhone 3GS 32GB (white, working condition)

cash4phones: £111.11
Mazuma Mobile: £108.00
envirofone: £102.11
Apple: £52.00

Nice one, Apple.


Really? Where did you get apple's pricing? this is a joke! Oh dear apple..
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Phil A. Avatar
172 months ago
Most people that take advantage of apples program are not worrying about getting every penny they can but more interested in recycling an old device so it doesn't end up in a land fill.
Other companies that buy your old phone don't landfill them - they are recycled: This from Mazuma Mobile


Mazuma Mobile aim to reuse over 95% of the mobile phones received in various developing markets where the cost of new mobile phones is sometimes unaffordable.
Where mobile phones are not reusable, we promise to recycle them in the most environmentally friendly way.
We are a Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Authorised Treatment Facility and are ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Accredited.
You also have to take into account the usual tricks played by these people. They will offer say £100 online and you send it in and then they offer a lower price based on some random reason, e.g. scratched, etc.

The £52 offered by Apple is more realistic and probably what the others will offer in reality.

Edit: Reviews like these are typical of such recycle companies (this for envirofone):
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews98440.html
I've never used envirofone, but have recycled loads of old phones through mazuma and have never had so much as a single penny less than the offer made online and they pay cash into your bank within hours of receiving the phone

Whatever way you look at it, the apple option is not a good deal compared to the rest of the market
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LastLine Avatar
172 months ago
Bottom feeders. Its a scam.



Recycled=Sold to third worlders at exorbitant prices no doubt.

Doesn't Apple at least donate the usable stuff to schools etc?
Who cares? Ultimately you're recycling - if a company can make a profit on that and employ people because of it? Fair play to them.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

Monday March 24, 2025 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3 and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), which...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

Monday March 24, 2025 3:43 am PDT by
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...
ios 19 messages app

Here's What Apple's iOS 19 Messages App Might Look Like

Tuesday March 25, 2025 11:52 am PDT by
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a mockup of what he says the Messages app will look like in iOS 19, demoing an interface with rounded, translucent bubble-shaped navigation buttons at the top and softer, rounder corners for the keyboard and word suggestions. Jon Prosser's Messages app mockup The return button, a button for going back to the Messages list, and the FaceTime button have a deeper...