Significant Package Reduction Expected to Cut Carbon Emissions by 10,000 Tons
Samsung Electronics Anticipates Using 50 Tons of Discarded Fishing Nets
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] The foldable phones and wearable new products unveiled by Samsung Electronics on the 10th are equipped with parts made from recycled materials. Since applying recycled fishing net materials discarded in the ocean to the 'Galaxy S22' series, 'Galaxy Book2 Pro' series, and 'Galaxy Tab S8' series released earlier this year, Samsung Electronics has been continuously expanding their usage. It is expected that Samsung Electronics will utilize up to 50 tons of discarded fishing nets this year.
On the afternoon of the same day, Samsung Electronics shared the achievements and progress of the Mobile Experience (MX) division's eco-friendly vision, 'Galaxy for the Planet,' during the 'Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2022' held online.
90% of 'Buds2 Pro' Weight Composed of Parts Made from Recycled Materials
Recycled fishing net materials were applied to parts such as the side key bracket and display connector cover of the 'Galaxy Z Fold4,' the volume key bracket of the 'Galaxy Z Flip4,' and the battery mounting bracket, cradle PCB mounting bracket, and internal mechanism reinforcement bracket of the 'Galaxy Buds2 Pro.' In particular, for the 'Galaxy Buds2 Pro' unveiled at this Unpacked event, parts made from recycled materials account for 90% of the total device weight.
Samsung Electronics is focusing on developing innovative recycled new materials while continuously expanding the application range of existing Post-Consumer Materials (PCM).
In line with its plan to achieve zero single-use plastic in mobile product packaging by 2025, Samsung Electronics has removed a significant amount of plastic from the packaging of the 'Galaxy Z Fold4' and 'Galaxy Z Flip4' products.
Additionally, the package volume of the 'Galaxy Z Flip4' and 'Galaxy Z Fold4' has been reduced by 52.8% and 58.2%, respectively, compared to the first-generation Galaxy foldables, which is estimated to reduce carbon emissions during product transportation by more than 10,000 tons this year.
Along with this, Samsung Electronics has been applying 100% recycled paper to flagship model packaging starting with the 'Galaxy S22' series. It is expected that through the 'Galaxy S22' series and the new Galaxy Z series this year, approximately 51,000 trees can be preserved.
This eco-friendly packaging design is planned to expand its application range not only to future flagship models but also to other product categories.
Efforts to Reduce Electronic Waste
According to the World Economic Forum, 57 million tons of electronic waste were generated last year, and it is expected to increase by 2 million tons annually in the future.
Samsung Electronics has expanded the Galaxy Upcycling program, which adds new value to old Galaxy smartphones to reduce electronic waste. Through simple software updates, smartphones can be transformed into smart home devices usable in daily life for childcare, pet care, and more.
Galaxy Upcycling focuses not only on environmental sustainability but also on improving quality of life. A representative example is the 'I-like' fundus camera, which converts used Galaxy smartphones into portable digital eye exam devices.
Through this, eye examination services have been provided to more than 13,000 patients in four countries with poor eye health infrastructure?Vietnam, India, Morocco, and Papua New Guinea?contributing to early detection and treatment of fundus diseases.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
