Sourcing
Production
Distribution
Using
Recycling
Longer life for the product
Even longer life for the material used
in the product.
We aim to manage resources more sustainably by using
recycled materials and researching methods to extract and
re-use resources from e-waste.
E-waste, born again with
technology
1) Ratio of recycled content varies by plastic parts
2) Recycled plastic ratio based on the weight of parts
3) Plastic parts developed by Samsung
We strive to use recycled materials
in our products.
We are constantly looking for ways to minimize our impact on the land and sea. By focusing on plastic waste as one of the biggest threats to the marine environment, we have developed technology to recycle discarded fishing nets and are continuing our efforts to improve circularity by recycling resources.
In addition to the recycled glass1) and aluminum2) used in previous models, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series introduced in 2024 incorporates new recycled materials such as recycled cobalt3), rare earth elements4), steel5), and TPU6) for the first time in a Samsung Galaxy device.
Additionally, we have continued to expand the use of recycled materials. The graphite7) sheet of the 2024 Neo QLED 8K TV product, used for internal heat dissipation, has been applied with a recycled graphite material extracted from end-of-life batteries.
We are significantly expanding the application of recycled resins in plastic parts used in products — 50% of plastic parts by 2030 and 100% plastic parts (by weight) by 2050.
In 2023, we used 157,939 tonnes of plastics with recycled resin, about 1.6 times more than in 2022.
Unit: 10,000 tonnes 2019: Usage for the current year 3.1 Total cumulative usage 24.5 2020: Usage for the current year 3.1 Total cumulative usage 27.6 2021: Usage for the current year 3.3 Total cumulative usage 31.0
The use of recycled packaging
materials by product category
Circular Economy Lab
To increase resource circularity, we established Circular Economy Lab at our headquarters to study material recycling technology and product
application. The Circular Economy Lab promotes the replacement of materials in products with recycled materials
and conducts research on waste to resources.
Major areas of research
Get more out of our products
We continue to increase the lifespan of our products because longer lifecycles often mean fewer resources consumed and less carbon emitted.
To reduce the environmental impact of our products, we study and apply ways for our customers to use our products longer.
Extend product life
Products pass tests according to international standards
and meet strict internal standards
Fix and recycle
Easy-to-disassemble design
Easy-to-recycle at the end of the product life
Upgrade
Extended support period for software
upgrades
Modular design so users can use
products that are
tailored to their needs for
longer period of time
Bringing new life
to EOL(End Of Life) products
* Cumulative from 2009
*Cumulative from 2009
When we switch to a new product, where does the used product end up?
If you think about it, products made from various raw materials are a complex mix of resources. Our e-waste product collection and recycling process allow for e-waste to become ingredients for new products.
From 2009 to 2023, we collected 6.3 million tonnes of waste electronics worldwide through e-waste collection system operated in over 70 countries.
By 2030, we plan to expand the e-waste collection system to more than 180 countries where our products are sold with the plan to collect 10 million tonnes. Furthermore, we also plan to collect 25 million tonnes of e-waste by 2050.
Unit: 10,000 tonnes 2019: Collected amount (current year) 49 Cumulative collected amount 403 2020: Collected amount (current year) 51 Cumulative collected amount 454 2021: Collected amount (current year) 53 Cumulative collected amount 507
The operation status of
e-waste collection and
recycling programs
We operate various recycling programs in approximately 70 countries around the world, including Korea.
Based on the characteristics of each country, we operate recycling centers directly or cooperate with recycling associations or
companies to operate e-waste recovery
and recycling programs.
* As of 2023
Click a region to see a detailed list of country/region.
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