Samsung to replace plastic packaging with more sustainable materials
Samsung Electronics has announced that it is taking steps to replace plastic packaging in favour of more environmentally sustainable materials.
In the first half of 2019, the plastic used for packaging Samsung’s products and accessories – ranging from mobile phones and tablets to home appliances – will be substituted for more eco-friendly materials such as recycled or bio-based plastic and paper, the South Korean firm said in a statement.
Samsung has also created a new team tasked with the design and development, purchasing, marketing and quality control for innovative packaging ideas.
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“Samsung Electronics is stepping up in addressing society’s environmental issues such as resource depletion and plastic wastes,” said Gyeong-bin Jeon, head of Samsung’s Global Customer Satisfaction Center.
“We are committed to recycling resources and minimizing pollution coming from our products. We will adopt more environmentally sustainable materials even if it means an increase in cost.”
The company said it will replace the plastic packaging currently used for the packaging of phones, tablets and wearables with eco-friendly materials.
It will also alter the design for its phone chargers to reduce the use of plastics, “swapping the glossy exterior finish with a matte finish”.
Samsung also highlighted that it will also replace the plastic bags used to protect its air conditioners, refrigerators TVs, and washing machines with recycled materials and bioplastics that come from non-fossil fuel sources.
Elsewhere, the firm says it will start to use paper that’s been certified by “global environmental organisations” in its manuals by next year.
Through the sustainability drive, Samsung aims to use 500,000 tons of recycled plastics and collect 7.5mn tons of discarded products by 2030.
