Samsung Electronics and POSCO Jointly Develop Recycled Steel Sheet Materials... Certified by 'UL Solutions'

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Samsung Electronics has jointly developed enamel steel sheets with POSCO that have a higher content of recycled materials and received international certification. The materials will be applied inside Samsung home appliances such as built-in ovens sold domestically to increase recycling rates.

Samsung Electronics, in collaboration with POSCO, has developed an enamel steel sheet with an increased recycled material content, which is now used as an internal material in Samsung products. The enamel steel sheet, used inside the cooking chamber of the product, has a blue color.
[Photo by Samsung Electronics]

On the 2nd, Samsung Electronics announced that it received ECV certification from the international certification body UL Solutions for the enamel steel sheets developed with POSCO. ECV certification is an environmental mark granted after verifying the validity of environmental claims of products, such as the usage rate of reusable and recyclable materials and the content of harmful substances.

The enamel steel sheets jointly developed by the two companies increased the recycled material content to 12%, certified by UL Solutions, by utilizing POSCO’s technology that melts a large amount of recycled materials in the converter process. The converter process refers to the step of removing impurities from molten iron produced in the blast furnace. This material is expected to be applied inside built-in ovens, cooker ovens, and microwave ovens sold domestically. Enamel steel sheets are steel sheets suitable for enamel coating, which involves applying a glassy glaze and firing it at high temperatures. They are widely used mainly inside cooking appliances such as cooking chambers.

Samsung Electronics plans to expand collaboration with POSCO and apply stainless steel sheets containing recycled materials to refrigerator doors, washing machine drums, and dishwasher interiors starting next year.

Samsung Electronics uses various recycled materials. For example, the cover door of the all-in-one washer-dryer 'Bespoke AI Combo,' introduced this year, contains 10% recycled resin ABS. The safety glass fixing parts of the washing machine door use 20% resin recycled from scrap materials used in industrial sites.

From June 6 to 10 (local time), Samsung Electronics will set up a sustainability zone at IFA 2024, Europe’s largest home appliance exhibition held in Berlin, Germany. The zone will showcase recycled materials applied in the Bespoke AI Combo and efforts to collect discarded electronic products.

Wi Hoon, head of the Advanced Development Team at Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliances (DA) Division, said, “Samsung Electronics, through continuous technical exchanges with POSCO, has obtained the first environmental claim verification for enamel steel sheets in Korea. We will continue to cooperate to apply recycled materials with higher content rates to various products.”