Samsung Electronics continues to progress towards achieving its 2025 sustainability goal with the expansion of its use of recycled materials in its products and packaging.
Since announcing the Galaxy for the Planet initiative at the Unpacked event in August 2021, Samsung says it has "worked diligently" to create new ways to recycle and repurpose resources that would otherwise become harmful waste, minimise its environmental footprint, and inspire innovation that helps preserve the planet.
Key initiatives implemented include the development and incorporation of recycled materials into products, designing more eco-conscious packaging, and giving new life to older Samsung Galaxy devices to reduce e-waste.
In terms of packaging, Samsung set a goal to eliminate all single-use plastics in mobile product packaging by 2025, and the company has already reduced a sizeable amount of single-use plastics in its current packaging for Galaxy smartphones, including the new Galaxy foldables.
The company said it will continue to explore more ways to eliminate single-use plastics in packaging by assessing every aspect of its packaging designs, down to the smallest of details.
Starting with the launch of the Galaxy S22 series, Samsung now uses 100 per cent recycled paper for flagship product packaging. By doing so, Samsung said it will be able to save the equivalent of about 51,000 trees this year.
Samsung has also reduced the volume of packaging for Galaxy Z Flip4 by 52.8 per cent, and for Galaxy Z Fold4 by 58.2 per cent respectively, compared to the first-generation Galaxy foldables.
By reducing each device’s packaging volume, Samsung ultimately reduces its environmental footprint in transporting these units using trucks, planes and ships.
Samsung estimates that this reduction in packaging volume equates to a reduction in carbon emissions from transportation of approximately 10,000 tonnes by the end of 2022.
In addition to continually evolving packaging for flagship smartphones, Samsung said it plans to expand eco-conscious packaging to its other product categories.
“Samsung is taking consistent and impactful actions that help protect people and the planet,” said TM Roh, president and head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics.
“I am proud of our progress to date. At the same time, it’s been a humbling experience that enables us to continue on our journey towards achieving our sustainability vision with even more conviction and rigour than before.
“Samsung has set clear sustainability goals by scaling solutions across its business – whether it is repurposing discarded fishing nets for our devices, striving to achieve plastic-free packaging, or moving us forward to achieve zero waste to landfill and zero standby power of smartphone chargers, Samsung is realising its vision one step at a time.”
