In order to help mitigate this growing crisis, Samsung Electronics is following in the footsteps of governments and organizations the world over and implementing sustainable packaging practices for its products in order to reduce plastic consumption and waste.

Going Green in 2019

Earlier this week, Samsung Electronics announced that 2019 will see it begin to switch to more environmentally-friendly packaging formats across its portfolio.

This is not the first move into sustainable packaging the company has made; Samsung has been introducing environmentally-friendly packaging to its notebook computer line since 2018. Going forward, Samsung looks to expand this ‘eco-conscious packaging’ initiative into its wider product line including its mobile devices, wearables, TVs, refrigerators and other home appliance products.

Reliably Sourced, Sustainably Made

In a nutshell, traditionally understood ‘plastic’ packaging is to be replaced for 2019 by molded pulp (a fusion material that uses no wood fibers and incorporates waste by-products such as sugarcane residue) trays, recycled paper containers and bags made of recycled plastic and bio-based, fossil fuel-free materials like starch.

Additionally, in order to further support full-cycle sustainability, Samsung has committed to only use Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)-certified paper materials in its packaging and manuals by 2020.

This commitment to sustainable practices in product packaging is part of a wider series of mid-term initiatives put in place by Samsung to transform the way the company manages its resources. What does all this mean? Check out the graphics below:

With approximately 50 million tons of electronics discarded worldwide in the last year alone, innovations that improve sustainability and prolong the lifespan of devices are welcome. ‘Galaxy Upcycling’, a project team of C-Lab, Samsung Electronics’ in-house incubator, gave new life to old smartphones and won an award along the way.

Passionate about the environment, the 11-man ‘Galaxy Upcycling’ team repurposes older models of Galaxy smartphones and finds ingenious ways to link them to everyday objects and connect them to the Internet of Things (IoT). Upcycling preserves many of an original product’s materials, reworking or reconstructing them to give the product a new function.

How Galaxy Phones are Have Been Repurposed

Bonding over their nostalgia for old electronics, the ‘Galaxy Upcycling’ team saw great potential in previous models of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy devices. Only a few years old, the phones were still too smart to be gathering dust in drawers at home.

The devices are equipped with built-in cameras and network modules, meaning they could still take pictures and connect to the internet. With these functions, the team quickly realized that the Galaxy phones could be attached to everyday items, transforming them from unconnected objects into a whole range of IoT devices.

Team members looked all around them for objects to connect. The Smart Fish Tank and Smart Pet Bowl, for example were inspired by family pets. Thanks to its upgrade, Smart Fish Tank can now feed the fish whenever the owner sends a text message, and the Smart Fish Bowl sends a photograph whenever a pet cat eats from the bowl.

Building an IoT Community

By upcycling in this way, the possibilities for connected devices seem endless. The team hope to speed up the process of connecting everyday objects in our lives to the Internet of Things.

The project operates on an open-platform principle, encouraging people outside the team to create their own IoT devices using old Galaxy smartphones. Galaxy Upcycling will share its progress, as well as guidelines for the software and hardware they have developed.

What started as a team of 11, has become a whole community of upcycling enthusiasts. More than 6,000 people have signed up for notifications on the official Galaxy Upcycling website. the C-Lab project is now finished (completed), the teammates have moved back to their jobs in the Mobile Communications Business.

The team was recognized for their commitment to sustainability by the American Environmental Protection Agency and presented with the Cutting Edge Champion Award at the Sustainable Materials Management Awards 2017 in November of last year.

Check out the video to find out more about Galaxy Upcycling.