On the broad stage of the global technology industry, Samsung has always played a leading role with excellent technology and innovation capabilities. At the same time, it has integrated the green environmental protection concept of "daily sustainability" into all aspects of enterprise development and product innovation, and made unremitting efforts to achieve net zero carbon emissions. April 22 is Earth Day, with the theme of "Global Fight for Plastic", which aims to drive global action to reduce plastic pollution and protect the planet on which we all depend. Over the years, Samsung has been committed to corporate social responsibility, demonstrating its unwavering reflection and proactive response to environmental issues through a series of environmental initiatives, and Samsung's environmental solutions can be described as an exemplary technology company.
Curbing plastic pollution and moving towards a circular economy
Recycling plastic products is one of the most important ways to curb plastic pollution, and Samsung is committed to sustainability and leading the industry in recycling and reusing resources. As of 2022, Samsung has used 98,826 tons of plastic materials containing recycled resin globally, with a utilization rate of 14%. Samsung's ambition goes far beyond that, and the two main goals of Samsung's environmental management strategy include achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the DX division by 2030 and applying recycled resins to all plastic parts of DX products by 2050.
A few days ago, experts at the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly proposed that there is an urgent need for global economic transformation to curb the existential threat posed by plastic to nature and people. The meeting noted that plastic waste is the type of waste that accounts for 85% of marine litter, not only polluting food and water, but also accounting for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions from its production, use and waste management. As part of its environmental initiatives, 20% of Samsung's solar remote control mounts in 2023 are made from plastic recycled from discarded fishing nets. It is worth noting that the solar remote control is a revolutionary product launched by Samsung that is very environmentally conscious. A solar panel on the back can replenish the power by absorbing natural energy when the remote control is running low, and it is estimated that the 7-year life cycle of the product will reduce about 5,840 tons of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
In addition, for TV products, Samsung has reduced plastic packaging materials and replaced them with paper, bioplastics or certified sustainable fiber materials in different product lines, integrating green environmental protection into the details of "everyday sustainability" and moving closer to the goal of a circular economy.
Scientific and technological innovation comes first, and social responsibility is practiced
Over the years, Samsung has deeply integrated technological innovation with green and low-carbon social responsibility, and elevated the concept of environmental protection to a new dimension through technological leapfrogging. Samsung has been committed to promoting the development of semiconductor technology, and in 2024 released its corporate vision of "AI for All", which aims to usher in a new era of consumer electronics with artificial intelligence technology. Samsung's semiconductor chips not only empower the ecological matrix of Samsung's entire product ecosystem, but also attract attention for their recyclable and recyclable characteristics, bringing consumers a more excellent product experience and leading the industry reform trend under the concept of green energy saving.
For example, Samsung Semiconductor uses a wet treatment process and electrolysis to recycle the copper contained in the sludge discharged from water purification. EMC (epoxy molding material) is a key material to ensure the functional stability of semiconductor chips, and after completing its mission, Samsung has turned it into a new plastic raw material through a special process to make semiconductor circuit board connectors, packaging materials, etc. In addition, dust can also be used to the fullest. Chemical vapor deposition (CVO) technology is used to deposit thin films on silicon wafers, but dust containing valuable metals such as gold and tungsten is produced, and Samsung extracts the precious metal components from it for reuse in semiconductor production.
At this year's Samsung home appliance new product launch conference, Samsung released the upgraded SmartThings. As an important part of building a "technology, art, and home with AI", the system provides consumers with smart life services, and makes the home smart IoT and green environmental protection practices inseparable. Samsung SmartThings integrates a hub gateway function for multiple categories of home appliances, which supports the zigbee protocol and the latest Matter protocol, enabling traditional IoT devices to connect to the Samsung SmartThings platform and reduce repetitive energy consumption. The 3D panoramic map function can help users intuitively monitor and control household appliances and IoT devices, easily view and manage the energy usage in the home on TVs and mobile phones, and optimize energy usage strategies, such as finding devices with high power consumption, you can switch to AI energy-saving mode with one click.
To practice the concept of ecological civilization, it is urgent to "fight against plastics". We believe that Samsung, which adheres to the environmental protection concept of "daily sustainability", will promote sustainable production and consumption patterns through continuous technological innovation, empower new paths of green development, and create a green and beautiful future.