Apple has revealed a 29 armed robot that can rip apart an iPhone in 11 seconds for recycling.

It is hoped the machine will help recycle silver, tungsten and other metals from the handsets.

The system started to operate at full capacity last month and can take apart one iPhone 6 every 11 seconds to recover aluminum, copper, tin, tungsten, cobalt, gold and silver parts, according to Apple.

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The system started to operate at full capacity last month and can take apart one iPhone 6 every 11 seconds to recover aluminum, copper, tin, tungsten, cobalt, gold and silver parts, according to Apple. Pictured is Lisa Jackson, Apple vice president for Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives

It has already been installed near Apple's HQ in Cupertino, and it plans to build a second in Europe.

The move is an attempt to address criticism that Apple's products, while sleek and seamless in design, are so tightly constructed that their components can be difficult to disassemble, refurbish and reuse.

Liam, which has been under development for nearly three years, will initially focus on the iPhone 6.

Apple plans to modify and expand the system to handle different devices and recover more resources, the company said.

However, the firm came under fire for the capacity of the robot.

At that rate and working uninterrupted, Liam can likely handle no more than a few million phones per year, a small fraction of the more than 231 million phones Apple sold in 2015.

Greenpeace welcomed Apple's initiative as an example of how the company is committed to keeping more products out of landfills, but the environmental group questioned how much of an impact the Liam robot would actually have on overall iPhone recycling volumes.

HOW DOES LIAM WORK? The move is an attempt to address criticism that Apple's products are so tightly constructed that their components can be difficult to disassemble After manual inspection, devices with salvageable components are shipped to Liam. Liam is a large-scale robot, made up of 29 freestanding robotic arms. Each has a different attachment - some have drills, others screwdrivers and suction cups. After a warehouse worker puts several iPhones onto a conveyor belt (it can fit about 40 at a time on the entrance section), the process begins. The first robot removes each iPhone's screen from the back casing, according to Mashable. The pieces are transported via conveyor belt to another section where the battery is carefully removed. Screws are sucked up into small tubes and are housed in a nearby container, while SIM card slots are dropped into a small bucket below the system. Apple claims that Liam yields a 97 percent success rate for removing each component. It is programmed to carefully disassemble the many pieces of returned iPhones, including SIM card trays, screws, batteries and cameras, by removing components bit by bit so they’ll all be easier to recycle. Advertisement

Greenpeace welcomed Apple's initiative as an example of how the company is committed to keeping more products out of landfills, but the environmental group questioned how much of an impact the Liam robot would actually have on overall iPhone recycling volumes

Professional e-waste recyclers, which handle the bulk of discarded iPhones, will not have access to Liam.

'If it's easy for a robot, that's great,' said Gary Cook, senior IT analyst for Greenpeace.

'But making it easier for a human, who will be doing most of this, is part of the solution.'

Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, said in an interview that the Liam robotic system is meant to push the technology sector toward more recycling, both by manufacturers and consumers.

'We need more R&D if we are going to realize the idea of a circular economy in electronics,' she said, referring to a goal to reuse more materials through as many cycles as possible.

Jackson, who was U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator from 2009 to 2013, spoke to Reuters before she unveiled Liam at Apple's spring product launch on Monday.

The recycling system consists of 29 robotic modules on a single site near Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

It will focus initially on iPhone 6 phones sold in the United States, where Apple gets about 40 percent of its revenue.

A second Liam is being installed in Europe, Apple said.

Some environmental activists have criticized Apple for not making its products more green.

Liam, which has been under development for nearly three years, will initially focus on the iPhone 6. Apple plans to modify and expand the system to handle different devices and recover more resources, the company said. However, the firm came under fire for the capacity of the robot

At that rate and working uninterrupted, Liam can likely handle no more than a few million phones per year, a small fraction of the more than 231 million phones Apple sold in 2015. Professional e-waste recyclers, which handle the bulk of discarded iPhones, will not have access to Liam

In the ultra-thin MacBook Air, for instance, the chips, hard drive, battery and processors cannot easily be upgraded.

The units use bespoke screws or glue to hold them together.

Computers made by other companies tend to be more modular and easier to break apart.

Jackson said Apple's design approach will not change, but the company is working on better ways to disassemble its devices and recover reusable materials.

These can now be sold to other industries.

As research continues on larger-scale recycling, Jackson said Apple hopes to reuse more materials in future products.

The world is awash in discarded electronic equipment, with the United States and China accounting for nearly a third of it.

Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, said in an interview that the Liam robotic system is meant to push the technology sector toward more recycling, both by manufacturers and consumers

Apple does not disclose how many of its devices are turned in for recycling every year. Under its existing program, the company offers customers store credit for recycling certain devices and will recycle old products for free

Jackson said Apple's design approach will not change, but the company is working on better ways to disassemble its devices and recover reusable materials. As research continues on larger-scale recycling, Jackson said Apple hopes to reuse more materials in future products

Less than a sixth of global e-waste is properly recycled or made available for reuse, according to an April 2015 United Nations University report.

Apple does not disclose how many of its devices are turned in for recycling every year.

Under its existing program, the company offers customers store credit for recycling certain devices and will recycle old products for free.

Greenpeace's Cook urged Apple to build more products using recycled metals, and to make its devices easier to deconstruct.

Apple has been an industry leader on some environmental issues, he said, pointing to commitments that global suppliers run on renewable energy.

'A lot of the sector has followed their lead because they've helped change the supply chain,' Cook said.