“Zero Waste to Landfill” is a claim validation program administered by UL Solutions, a global safety science company. Designations are determined by the percentage of waste diverted from landfills, serving as a key indicator of a company’s resource circularity efforts. Platinum represents a 100% landfill diversion rate, while Gold and Silver represent 95% to 99% and 90% to 94% respectively.

Since announcing its Environmental Strategy in 2022, focused on climate action and resource circularity, Samsung has steadily advanced sustainable management practices — repurposing waste generated at its sites into valuable resources and expanding other recycling initiatives worldwide.

Last year, all 10 business sites of the Device Solutions (DS) Division earned Platinum designation through integrated validation. This year in July, the Device eXperience (DX) Division’s Hungarian subsidiary, SEH-P, also achieved Platinum, marking the final step in securing Platinum status across all 22 domestic and overseas DX manufacturing sites.

▲ “Zero Waste to Landfill” Platinum designation for Samsung’s headquarters in Suwon, issued by UL Solutions

Samsung Electronics has established key directions for waste management — strengthening sorting systems, expanding reuse and increasing resource recovery — and has been implementing them through concrete initiatives.

Examples include introducing more refined waste separation systems within worksites and strengthening employee training to ensure thorough sorting.¹ Food waste and used paper are composted,² while general and construction waste is recycled into alternative fuels³ or basic raw materials.⁴ In addition, e-waste and battery residues are repurposed for solid fuel production.⁵ Through these efforts, Samsung has made steady progress toward its goal of achieving Zero Waste to Landfill.

▲ Plastic waste reduction training at Samsung Electronics’ SEHC subsidiary in Vietnam

Samsung is continuously developing technologies to recycle waste generated from semiconductor production processes into materials that can be reused in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, waste liquids are reused as a cleaning agent in scrubbers that reduce air pollutants and as water treatment agents in wastewater treatment facilities. In addition, adsorbents, activated carbon and catalysts used to control air pollutants undergo regeneration and are reused as raw materials for the same applications.

▲ Waste adsorbent regeneration process

Samsung recycled approximately 1.32 million tonnes of waste in 2024 — equivalent to 260,000 five-tonne waste trucks.

In addition to reducing waste at its worksites, Samsung has also repurposed by-products and discarded materials into new resources. The Galaxy S25, launched this year, has incorporated recycled cobalt extracted from previously used Galaxy smartphones and batteries discarded during the manufacturing process through Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain. Discarded wafer trays from semiconductor manufacturing were recycled and applied to the Galaxy S25 series’ components as well.

Looking ahead, Samsung Electronics plans to further enhance systematic waste sorting and material-specific management to secure high-quality recycled resources and expand their application in products, strengthening its commitment to resource circularity.

Junhwa Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Global EHS Office, DX Division at Samsung Electronics, highlighted the significance of the achievement as “a major milestone” in the company’s environmental management strategy, adding that the company will continue to apply innovation across all areas of its business to put sustainable management into practice.

More information on Samsung Electronics’ sustainability initiatives can be found on the Samsung Electronics Sustainability website.

¹ Subsidiaries in Hungary (SEH-P), Malaysia (SEMA), Brazil (SEDA-P(M)), Türkiye (SETK-P), etc.
² Subsidiaries in Thailand (TSE-P), India (SIEL-P(C)), Malaysia (SEMA), Mexico (SEM-P), etc.
³ Subsidiaries in Vietnam (SEHC), Malaysia (SEMA), the United States (SEHA), etc.
⁴ Subsidiaries in Vietnam (SEV, SEVT), etc.
⁵ Subsidiary in Indonesia (SEIN-P)

Samsung Electronics today announced that Galaxy S25 has been honored with the 2025 Design for Recycling® Award, the highest recognition for leadership in sustainable product design presented by the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), a leading industry organization dedicated to promoting recycling and circular innovation.

This award recognizes Samsung’s innovative efforts to scale its use of recycled materials and do more with less of the planet’s natural resources. Galaxy S25 is the first Galaxy device to incorporate recycled cobalt — a critical material used in batteries — sourced through Samsung’s new Circular Battery Supply Chain.¹ This system recovers cobalt from previously used Galaxy devices and batteries discarded during the manufacturing process,² helping to reuse valuable materials and reduce the need for newly-mined cobalt.

“Samsung is committed to embedding sustainability throughout our products’ life cycle from design, to usage and disposal,” said Daniel Araujo, VP and Head of the Sustainability Management Office, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Galaxy S25 represents an important milestone in our journey to enhance circularity in our products and operations, combining cutting-edge innovation with responsibility for the planet. We will continue expanding our efforts to create a more sustainable future for future generations.”

“Samsung has demonstrated true leadership by incorporating design for recycling principles into every phase of Galaxy S25,” said Robin Wiener, President of the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA). “Their use of various recycled materials shows a clear commitment to designing the products we rely on every day with innovation and environmental responsibility.”

Building on its progress in battery recycling, the Galaxy S25 features eight different recycled materials³ across its components, including aluminum, rare earth elements like neodymium and steel. For the first time, recycled material has been integrated into armor aluminum frame,⁴ ensuring that every external component of Galaxy S25 contains at least one recycled material. The Galaxy S25 series packaging box is also made with 100% recycled paper, eliminating single-use plastics.

Samsung also supports consumer repairability with its Self-Repair program,⁵ empowering users to extend product life and reduce e-waste.

These initiatives support Samsung’s broader environmental goals, including working toward transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy across global DX operations by 2027 and incorporating at least one recycled material in every module of every mobile product⁶ by 2030 investing in innovative eco-conscious materials without compromising strength, aesthetics or durability.

The award ceremony will be held on May 14 at the ReMA Convention in San Diego, California.

¹ Uses a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt for batteries — a minimum of 25% of the Galaxy S25 battery is cobalt by weight, 50% of which is recycled cobalt.
² Inclusion may differ by markets.
³ The percentage of each recycled material differs per component. Please visit Samsung Sustainability Website for more information.
⁴ The Metal Frame (Case Front) of S25 contains a minimum of 20% recycled aluminum by weight.
⁵ Samsung’s Self-Repair program is available in select markets. Self-Repair program details including model availability, components, kit cost may differ by region. For more details, please visit Samsung.com Self-Repair website.
⁶ Based on our announcement during Samsung Galaxy Unpacked January 2024. Samsung defines a module of a smartphone as the Antenna, Battery, Camera, Display, Mechanical Components, Motor, PBA/FPCB, Speaker, Wireless Charger Module and Packaging.

Previously confined to the imagination, this idea is now a reality with Samsung Electronics’ Circular Battery Supply Chain — an initiative that recovers and reuses key materials from the batteries of used Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy S25 marks the first time this closed-loop battery recycling system has been applied to Samsung’s flagship lineup.

Samsung Newsroom spoke with Youngmin Kim from the Circular Economy Lab in the Global Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Office and Sangcheul Lee from the Battery Group in the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics to learn more about the development and impact of this project.

▲ (From left) Sangcheul Lee and Youngmin Kim

Used Galaxy Devices Reborn as Valuable Resources

Each year, approximately 200 tons of waste battery material were collected at Samsung’s production facilities in Vietnam. Countries with proper recycling infrastructure can repurpose used batteries for applications like electric vehicle batteries. Vietnam, however, lacked the means to do so. Recognizing the need for a sustainable solution, the company decided to address the issue.

“Samsung’s Vietnam facilities are among those that generate the highest volume of waste batteries, including defective units from the manufacturing process and batteries recovered from a factory that repairs Galaxy phones traded in from the United States,” said Youngmin Kim. “Our goal was to create a system that would allow us to recycle these resources and reintegrate them into our products.”

▲ Youngmin Kim explains the Circular Battery Supply Chain while showcasing cobalt and cathode materials.

To develop an efficient recycling process for Vietnam’s waste batteries, Samsung partnered with multiple companies to build an optimized resource circularity system that connected cobalt extraction plants with battery production lines in neighboring countries.

“For the Galaxy S24 series, we sourced recycled cobalt externally,” he explained. “However, with the Galaxy S25, we implemented a fully closed-loop recycling system that extracts cobalt directly from discarded Galaxy batteries.”

The collected waste batteries are processed into high-purity cobalt, then shipped to the battery production line where it is integrated into Galaxy S25 batteries. This process transforms electronic waste from used Galaxy devices into a valuable resource, supporting Samsung’s vision for a sustainable circular economy.

▲ Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain in action

More specifically, the Circular Battery Supply Chain begins with collecting used Galaxy smartphones, followed by dismantling and discharging their batteries. These batteries are then shredded and processed into a fine powder known as “black mass.” This material is subsequently refined to extract cobalt — which is used to produce cathode materials, a key component of the Galaxy S25 battery.

The Endless Recyclability of Cobalt

Cobalt is essential for maintaining the stability and performance of lithium-ion batteries in smartphones. While lithium carries electrons within the battery, cobalt facilitates lithium’s movement to ensure optimal battery operation.

▲ Cobalt ore samples

“Cobalt does not degrade with battery use, meaning it can theoretically be recycled indefinitely,” said Lee. “Recycled cobalt and newly mined cobalt are virtually identical — so much so that the difference is indistinguishable in the manufacturing process.”

In essence, Galaxy devices containing cobalt can be recycled and repurposed regardless of their manufacturing date.

▲ Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain on display at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona

“The key to extracting high-purity cobalt lies in technology,” said Kim. “Through our Circular Battery Supply Chain, we have successfully recovered and utilized over 90% of the cobalt from the discarded batteries that have been collected.”

Half of the cobalt used in the Galaxy S25 batteries comes from recycled sources — a strong testament to Samsung’s environmental strategy and commitment to reducing its environmental impact while maintaining premium product quality.

The Road to a Reliable and Efficient Circular Supply Chain

Nonetheless, establishing the Circular Battery Supply Chain was no easy feat as the batteries were required to meet stringent global safety and environmental regulations.

▲ Sangcheul Lee explains the certification management process.

“We had to engage with numerous partner companies, navigating complex and rigorous procedures,” recalled Lee. “To prevent fire hazards during transport, the batteries had to be crushed and obtaining the necessary certifications to comply with relevant environmental regulations took considerable time.”

“With constantly evolving regulations and Samsung’s exceptionally high internal standards, we underwent multiple rounds of reviews and certifications,” he added. “Despite the challenges, we persisted as a team and successfully implemented the system in the Galaxy S25.”

Samsung’s Evolving Vision for a Circular Economy

“I felt a great sense of pride when our Circular Battery Supply Chain was showcased at the recent Galaxy Unpacked event,” said Lee, reflecting on the achievement. “I hope to continue developing sustainable batteries by expanding our recycling efforts to include lithium and other materials.”

“With the Galaxy S25, we’ve also reached another significant milestone in resource circularity — wafer trays discarded after semiconductor manufacturing have been repurposed into a plastic used in the side and volume keys,” shared Kim. “We are working on various projects to expand resource circularity across other product lines as well, and we hope our users will continue to join us on our journey.”

Samsung has successfully established a closed-loop battery recycling system through the Circular Battery Supply Chain — turning a vision launched under its 2022 environmental strategy into reality with the Galaxy S25. This milestone has sparked growing anticipation for the next innovations that will emerge from Samsung’s pursuit of a more sustainable future.

On January 22, Samsung Electronics announced the release of the Galaxy S25 series, featuring significant hardware upgrades and ushering in a new era of AI-driven innovation. These advancements empower users to unlock new realms of creativity, forge deeper connections and streamline everyday tasks like never before.

The Galaxy S25 series transcends the concept of a smartphone to become a platform for AI integration, with Galaxy AI set to redefine everyday experiences through personalized, meaningful and human-like interactions.

▲ TM Roh, President and Head of the MX Business at Samsung Electronics, delivers his keynote address at Galaxy Unpacked 2025.

“The Galaxy S25 series has set a new standard of mobile AI innovation though an AI OS we built from the ground up,” said TM Roh, President and Head of the Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics, during his keynote address. “Thanks to One UI 7 and its integrated AI agents, users can effortlessly enjoy a more personalized, intuitive and natural mobile experience than ever before.”

Samsung Newsroom explored how the Galaxy S25 series is setting new standards with intuitive solutions that reshape the way people interact with technology.

New Ways To Get Things Done: AI That Learns, Adapts and Delivers

At the heart of the Galaxy S25 series is the evolution of its AI capabilities, powered by the next-generation One UI 7 operating system. This upgrade introduces advanced features designed to make tasks easy and intuitive. For example, the newly introduced Now Brief learns user routines and delivers customized information like exercise updates, translations, music and more, directly to the lock screen, eliminating the need to toggle between multiple apps.

▲ Drew Blackard, VP of Product Management at Samsung Electronics America, introduces the audience to the Galaxy S25 series’ many advanced Galaxy AI features.

Another game-changing feature is AI Select, introduced for the first time on the Galaxy S25 series. Accessible through the Edge Panel, AI Select functions as a personal AI assistant, capable of summarizing lengthy articles in seconds or aiding in creative tasks like generating colorful images with Drawing Assist.

With One UI 7, the Galaxy S25 series’ built-in multimodal AI recognizes natural language, images and text, enabling users to interact naturally and achieve more with minimal effort. This means its intelligent features can be triggered by simple voice commands. For instance, saying “My eyes are tired” prompts the Galaxy S25 series to activate the blue light filter, while “Find a photo of Max from last winter in a red coat, eating cake” searches the Gallery app to locate the desired image.

▲ Gallery Search (top) and the music recognition capability added to Circle to Search (bottom)

Circle to Search has also been enhanced to identify music playing on-screen without needing to open a separate app.

While watching YouTube videos, users can also issue voice commands like “List the place mentioned in this video and save it as a Note,” and Galaxy AI, powered by Google’s Gemini, seamlessly saves the location directly to Samsung Notes.

▲ Sissi Hsiao, VP at Google and GM for Gemini Experiences, discusses the collaboration between Samsung Electronics and Google.

The Galaxy S25 series features a Personal Data Engine, developed in partnership with Oxford Semantic Technologies, which contextually understands user preferences and routines while safeguarding data. What’s more, the Galaxy S25 series adopts C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) standards, reinforcing transparency and trust and ensuring privacy remains a top priority in this AI-driven digital era.

▲ Jay Kim, EVP and Head of Customer Experience Office at Mobile eXperience Business, Samsung Electronics, explains the evolution of One UI into an integrated AI platform.

Samsung continues to advance Galaxy AI through strategic partnerships with third-party app developers and AI solution providers, cementing its position at the forefront of secure AI innovation.

New Ways To Play: Power, Performance and Visual Excellence

The Galaxy S25 series is powered by the Snapdragon^® 8 Elite for Galaxy processor (AP), delivering a significant leap in speed and efficiency. With 40% improved NPU performance, 37% enhanced GPU performance and 30% upgraded GPU performance compared to its predecessor, this processor drives the series’ advanced AI capabilities.

▲ Kareen Stephens, Senior Marketing Manager at Samsung Electronics America, explains how powerful the performance of Galaxy S25 series’ mobile AP is

Designed with gamers in mind, the Galaxy S25 series opens up new possibilities for mobile gaming. ProScaler, a display feature that utilizes AI-powered algorithmic processing, reduces noise and enhances the clarity of on-screen visuals, enabling smoother, more immersive gameplay. Along with Vulkan and game engine optimizations, the series offers a 40% boost in Ray Tracing performance, raising the bar for mobile gaming visuals.

Heat dissipation is another standout capability, with a vapor chamber roughly 40% larger than before.¹ This advancement ensures more efficient heat management, even during intense gaming sessions.

Additionally, the Galaxy S25 series offers longer battery life and faster charging. Wireless charging speeds have increased to 25W (up from 15W), and the charging time for the 5000mAh battery has been halved — from two hours to just one.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts premium durability with a new glass-ceramic cover and a more robust display equipped with Corning® Gorilla® Armor 2.

▲ Spectators listen attentively to the speakers’ presentations during Galaxy Unpacked 2025

New Ways To Create: Unlocking New Camera Possibilities With AI

The Galaxy S25 series revolutionizes mobile photography with an upgraded ProVisual Engine that delivers unprecedented AI camera capabilities. AI learning has evolved to capture intricate details, from hair texture to the sparkle in one’s eyes, adding life-like vibrancy to every shot.

▲ Rachel Roberts, Senior Manager of Smartphone Product Management at Samsung Electronics America, discusses the ProVisual Engine and the Galaxy S25 series’ elite camera performance

With improved AP performance, the series takes Nightography to new heights, creating clearer night photos. The Galaxy S25 Ultra also features the series’ first 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera, offering an expansive field of view for capturing stunning landscapes and group shots.

Video creation is equally innovative with enhanced AI-powered video editing tools. The Audio Eraser feature, for example, eliminates distracting sounds from videos so users can capture special moments to perfection.

New Ways To Stay Healthy: AI for Smarter Health Management

Samsung Health leverages AI to track and analyze key health metrics, including sleep, heart health, diet and exercise, providing a comprehensive approach to well-being. Using these health measurements, it offers tailored insights to guide users to the best versions of themselves.

▲ Praveen Raja, VP and Head of Digital Health at Samsung Research America, highlights how Samsung Health has evolved into a personalized health management platform

Moving forward, Samsung Health envisions providing users with end-to-end health solutions, enabling them to manage their health from the comfort of their home.

Beyond physical health, Samsung Health also plans to support mental well-being with tools for stress and mental health management, and ultimately evolve into a holistic solution for both the body and mind.

New Ways To Manage Homes: The Future of Smart Ecosystems

Galaxy AI and SmartThings enhance home management through a connected smart ecosystem, driven by AI-powered automation and personalization. SmartThings and Bixby align home environments with daily routines, leveraging voice commands and wearable data to optimize convenience and deliver a personalized smart home experience.

▲ A demonstration of how Galaxy AI and SmartThings have come together to provide a seamlessly connected home management solution

Advanced AI features from Galaxy AI and SmartThings extend home management to include the well-being of family members and pets. For example, these tools allow users to monitor their pets remotely while away and even keep them company by turning the TV on for them. Preparations for pet healthcare services, such as connecting users to pre-veterinarian consultation services, are underway as well.

As one of the initial members of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, Samsung has partnered with the Alliance to support, develop and promote Matter, the connectivity standard for smart home and IoT devices, designed to ensure interoperability, accessibility and security across the smart home ecosystem.

New Efforts for Sustainability: Embracing a More Circular Approach to the Latest Galaxy Smartphones

Samsung continues to prioritize sustainability with initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact. The company aims to incorporate at least one recycled material in every module of every mobile product by 2030.²

In addition, Galaxy S25 will be the first Galaxy smartphone to include recycled cobalt sourced from the batteries of previously used Galaxy devices through the Circular Battery Supply Chain with each Galaxy S25 battery featuring a minimum of 50% recycled cobalt.³ These efforts reflect Samsung’s broader goal of exploring how technology can do more for people and the planet, creating a balance between innovation and environmental responsibility.

▲ Cassie Smith, Senior Manager of Corporate Sustainability at Samsung Electronics America, highlights Samsung’s circular economy efforts

Galaxy Unpacked 2025 came to an end with a teaser video offering a sneak peek of the slimmer but nonetheless powerful Galaxy S25 Edge, heightening the crowd’s expectations of what new innovations Samsung holds in store ahead.

Watch the official highlights of this January’s Galaxy Unpacked 2025 showcase in the video below. Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for complete coverage of the event and an in-depth look at how the Galaxy S25 series and Galaxy AI are shaping the future of mobile innovation.

¹ Based on Galaxy S25 Ultra model
² During Samsung Galaxy Unpacked January 2024, we announced that we will incorporate at least one recycled material in every module of every mobile product by 2030. Samsung defines a module of a smartphone as the Antenna, Battery, Camera, Display, Mechanical Components, Motor, PBA/FPCB, Speaker, Wireless Charger Module and Packaging.
³ A minimum of 25% of the Galaxy S25 battery is cobalt by weight, 50% of which is recycled cobalt.

The process starts by collecting previously used Galaxy smartphones, such as those from trade-in programs. The batteries are carefully dismantled, discharged and shredded to safely recover cobalt. Then, the shredded fragments are processed into “black mass,” a powder mixture containing cobalt and other metals. The black mass undergoes further processing to extract cobalt, which is then used to produce cathode material — an essential component of smartphone batteries. The remaining cobalt goes through the final stage of the battery manufacturing process, becoming an integral part of the new Galaxy S25 batteries, with each Galaxy S25 battery featuring 50% recycled cobalt.²

Samsung will continue to expand the use of our new recycled cobalt batteries into our ecosystem to accelerate circularity.

Check out the video below to learn more about how Samsung’s innovative Circular Battery Supply Chain is paving the way for a more sustainable future.

¹ Inclusion may differ by markets.
² A minimum of 25% of the Galaxy S25 battery is cobalt by weight, 50% of which is recycled cobalt.