Samsung’s Innovative Solutions Tackling Global Environmental Challenges

Accelerating plans toward creating a sustainable future for the next generation

In a deliberate move to tackle global environmental challenges, Samsung has been using a variety of innovative technologies to implement sustainability throughout its production process and product life cycle – from design and development to manufacturing, usage, takeback and recycling.

Driven through its Environmental Strategy: “Everyday Sustainability”, Samsung plans to reduce its environmental impact with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero direct and indirect emissions by 2050. A symbol of progress specifically for Samsung MX’s sustainability journey has to be the latest Galaxy S24 series powered by Galaxy AI. This most recent flagship continues Samsung’s efforts to advance circularity and longevity in its products. With this series, the company has focused on incorporating recycled materials, eliminating plastic from packaging and extending the product lifecycle.

This Galaxy S24 series has deeply entrenched the company’s commitment to finding innovative ways to reduce its carbon emissions. However, the use of such innovative solutions that seek to accelerate Samsung’s push towards creating a sustainable future does not start and end with its mobile technologies. Some of its outstanding and innovative solutions include Carbon Capture Technologies, where the semiconductor-industry’s Air Science Research Centre^[1] (previously known as the Carbon Capture Research Institute) was established in September 2021.

The research centre was founded with the aim of developing and commercialising technologies for capturing and utilising carbon emitted from Samsung’s semiconductor manufacturing sites. To achieve its objectives, Samsung engaged in research on original technologies with the aim of capturing emitted carbon with greater efficiency and transforming them into resources. Moreover, as part of its efforts to aid in reducing pollution and emissions, Samsung has taken the lead in developing technologies that are environmentally responsible, while enabling an ecosystem that fosters clean and responsible technology.

So, to ensure that these technological solutions are effectively helping to overcome global environmental challenges, Samsung has invested in innovative ideas by collaborating with key institutions such as universities, research institutes as well as start-up communities. On top of all this, in January 2019, Samsung set up a technologically advanced Air Science Research Centre (previously known as the Particulate Matter Research Institute) – dedicated to developing innovative filters and original technologies to detect, analyse and remove particulate matter.

In this Research Centre, Samsung was able to successfully develop an air purification filter that is capable of removing both fine particles and gases, which can be easily cleaned with water and re-used for up to 20-years. And furthermore, to address the challenge of marine micro plastic pollution, Samsung has developed technologies that can reduce the amount of microfiber released into the ocean.

In collaboration with Patagonia, Samsung developed a wash cycle that reduces microfiber emissions in its washing machines and an external microfiber filter that can be applied to existing washing machines. This global electronics giant has also been using technologies that are contributing to a Circular Economy. In July 2022, for instance, Samsung created the Circular Economy Lab, which specialises in research on material recycling process and technology as well as the application of recycled materials to products to maximise resource circularity.

Through the Lab, Samsung has collaborated with various research institutions and corporations to research material recycling and waste-to-resource technologies with the aim of ultimately manufacturing all of its products with recyclable materials.

Samsung believes that preserving the future of the planet is not a competition, instead it requires open collaboration across industries and sectors. And as it advances its sustainability journey, Samsung plans to continue managing and mitigating its emissions and continually evolving its sustainability approach, so that ultimately it can deliver positive change – together with its partners.

^[1]Samsung_Electronics_Sustainability_Report_2023_ENG.pdf