Samsung will start switching out plastic materials in the packaging of its products with paper and other environment friendly materials as part of the company’s commitment to its sustainability policy.
Samsung said that beginning the first half of this year, packaging for its products and accessories, ranging from mobile phones to home appliances, will start featuring sustainable materials such as recycled and bio-based plastic and paper. It has created a task force that will focus on innovative packaging, from designing and developing the new materials, to purchasing, marketing, and performing quality control.
For mobile phones, tablets, and wearable devices, Samsung will replace the plastic used for holder trays with pulp molds, while plastic bags used to wrap accessories will also be replaced with ones made out of eco-friendly materials. Samsung will also change the designs of mobile phone chargers, replacing the glossy exterior with a matte finish to make plastic protection films unnecessary.
Meanwhile, the plastic bags that are used to protect the surfaces of home appliances will also be replaced with bags made of recycled materials and bioplastics, which are made out of non-fossil fuel based materials such as sugar cane and starch.
The paper materials in Samsung’s packaging will start by 2020 to be made from fiber materials that are certified by global environmental organizations. By 2030, the company is looking to use 500,000 tons of recycled plastics and collect 7.5 million tons of discarded products since the initiative started in 2009.
“Samsung Electronics is stepping up in addressing society’s environmental issues such as resource depletion and plastic wastes,” said Samsung’s head for its Global Customer Satisfaction Center, Gyeong-bin Jeon, in a statement, adding that the company is committed to using more environmentally sustainable materials despite the increased cost.
The decision of Samsung, one of the largest electronics conglomerates in the world, to make the switch to sustainable packaging will likely have a significant impact on reducing the waste that the industry generates. Fortunately, the company is not alone in this endeavor, as big names such as Apple and Adidas have previously launched their own sustainability initiatives, while new eco-friendly versions of products such as battery packs and portable grills are being developed to help protect the environment.
