product environment performance
Samsung Electronics makes an effort to develop environment-friendly product that minimizing an impact to environment through whole process from getting raw materials, production, transportation, usage and end-of-life disposal by adding 'environment' on function, price, quality, design that were the essence for product development.
For this process, we takes a responsibility for whole process through LCA and recycle evaluation and by operating recycling center for dealing with an efficient treatment of the waste product.
- policy & principle
- regional compliance
- voluntary programs
- recycling statistics
- recycling in Korea
- how to recycle Samsung products
regional compliance
Europe
The Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires producers to finance the collection and recycling of their products at end-of-life, and to provide recyclers with information on how products should be disassembled. The Directive also requires producers to label products with a crossed-out wheelie-bin to show users that the product should not be disposed of with ordinary household waste.
Samsung Electronics supports the objectives of the WEEE Directive and we have joined a recycling scheme in every country where we are obligated as the producer. Through these schemes we fund the collection and recycling of our products when they become waste. Details of the schemes that we are a member of are listed below. All Samsung Electronics products placed on the market in the EU are labeled with the required recycling symbol and accompanied by advice about proper disposal of the product. Samsung Electronics is also contributing to the current Review of the WEEE Directive and advocating a stronger role for Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) to encourage design-for recycling. Through alliances with industry partners, NGOs and research organizations we will continue to promote improved take-back systems in Europe to reduce the impact of waste electronics on the environment.
Japan
The Consumer Electronics Recycle Law was enacted in Japan from April 2001, making the recycling practice mandatory for refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, and air conditioners. In response, Samsung Electronics joined RKC, a home appliance recycling ticket center. The Company has actively involved in the recycling of consumer electronics by joining the A Group, a recycling alliance with GE, Toshiba and others. In 2003, the Company managed to recover at least 60% of the raw materials in more than 22,000 discarded TVs, refrigerators and washing machines and increased the total figure to some 26,000 units in 2004.
Furthermore, a joint recycling program was launched with Mitsubishi Electric and others in October 2003 to recycle PCs, and over 300 end-of-life PCs were retrieved and recycled in 2004.
North America
Samsung Electronics North America leads industry in providing consumers with innovative products and is now providing innovative leadership in life cycle product initiative. One segment of life cycle initiative that is particularly important for North American consumers is the end-of-life (EOL) product management. Samsung is involved with legislative program development and compliance, and is also involved with developing voluntary individual producer responsible (IPR) initiatives. Samsung is a believer that we are responsible to find both a thoughtful and an effective management solution for our products at the point in time in which they are ready for disposal.
Activity took place in both Canada and the US in 2007. In California, over 6 million pounds of Samsung EOL television and monitor products were processed; 100 thousand pounds in Maine; and over 500 thousand pounds in Minnesota. In Canada, Samsung EOL products were successfully collected and processed in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Samsung participates with RBRC, through which over 100,000 pounds of EOL cell phones and batteries were collected and processed at no cost to consumers. Samsung is strongly involved with promoting Energystar and EPEAT registered products.
Samsung meets all compliance and reporting requirements for all states and provinces where mandatory regulations are active. As well, Samsung is actively shaping systems where manufacturers are required to do so. In Washington State for example, Samsung worked closely with the Department of Ecology and the Authority Board to develop critical procedures and plans that were required to meet the aggressive deadlines set forth by law. Samsung was also actively involved with Minnesota to develop early compliance paths, and is now involved with a number of other states and provinces to shape a respective solution with the goal of projecting a culture environmental responsibility.
China
The Chinese government is expected to announce its “Management Regulations on Recycling and Disposal of Waste and Used Household Electrical Appliances” in 2005 that conforms to the WEEE regulations of the EU. Samsung Electronics is going to establish a complete waste electronics take back and recycling system to comply with the new law and to be an industry trendsetter in environmental management. For example, Samsung joined local electronics makers in announcing “environmental friendly mobile phone management” (October 2003), a program organized by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China (SEPA). The Company is also managing to ban or reduce the use of hazardous substances in its mobile phones and is encouraging consumers to participate in various environmental activities.
Regional WEEE Takeback Schemes and Contacts
(As of May, 2008)
| Country | Company name |
Company contact | Contracted recycling scheme |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coordinator | Phone number | |||
| Europe HQ | Samsung Electronics European HQ |
R. Foxall | +44 1932 455 185 | ERP |
| Austria | Samsung Electronics Austria Gmbh |
M. Blutmager | +43 1 516 15 66 | ERP |
| Belgium | Samsung Electronics Netherlands B.V. |
A. Balkhoven P. D'Hooghe |
+31 (6) 248 20054 | RECUPEL |
| Bulgaria | Samsung Electronics Austria Gmbh |
M. Blutmager | +43 1 516 15 66 | Via distributors |
| Cyprus | Athens Office | G. Andreadakis |
+30 210 689 6235 | Via distributors |
| Czech Rep. | Samsung Electronics Hungary Zrt., Czech Branch office |
D. Mrzena | +420 602 131 000 | Asekol/ Electrowin |
| Denmark | Samsung Electronics Nordic AB |
P. Lundin | +46 8 590 966 72 | El Retur |
| Estonia | Samsung Electronics Baltics SIA |
I. Kalnpure | +37 167 359 532 | Via distributors |
| Finland | Samsung Electronics Nordic AB |
P. Lundin | +46 8 590 966 72 | SERTY |
| France | Samsung Electronics France S.A.S. |
K. Boughazi | +33 1 49 21 72 14 | EcoSystemes |
| Germany | Samsung Electronics Gmbh |
M. Euchner | +49 6196 66 1254 | ERP |
| Greece | Samsung Electronics Athens Office |
G. Andreadakis | +30 210 689 6235 | Via distributors |
| Hungary | Samsung Electronics Hungarian Co., Ltd. |
A. Gerzsei | +36 30 9303 184 | Elektro-Coord |
| Ireland | Samsung Electronics (U. K.) Ltd |
S. Jamieson | +44 1932 455 576 | ERP |
| Italy | Samsung Electronics Italia S. P. A. |
S. Morabito | +39 02 92189299 | Remedia |
| Latvia | Samsung Electronics Baltics SIA |
I. Kalnpure | +37 167 359 532 | Latvijas Zalais Punkts |
| Lithuania | Samsung Electronics Baltics SIA |
I. Kalnpure | +37 167 359 532 | Via distributors |
| Luxembourg | Samsung Electronics Netherlands B.V. |
A. Balkhoven P. D'Hooghe |
+31 (6) 248 20054 | Via distributors |
| Malta | Samsung Electronics Italia S. P. A. |
S. Morabito | +39 02 92189299 | Via distributors |
| Netherlands | Samsung Electronics Netherlands B.V. |
A.Balkhoven P. D'Hooghe |
+31 (6) 248 20054 | NVMP & ICT Milieu |
| Norway | Samsung Electronics Nordic AB |
P. Lundin | +46 8 590 966 72 | Via distributors |
| Poland | Samsung Electronics Poland, Sp. Zo.O. |
A. Gryko | +48 22 6074440 | ElektroEko |
| Portugal | Samsung Electronica Portuguesa S.A. |
L. Castro | +351 214251091 | AMB3E |
| Romania | Samsung Electronics Austria Gmbh |
M. Blutmager | +43 1 516 15 66 | Via distributors |
| Slovakia | Samsung Electronics Hungarian Co., Ltd. |
R. Meszaros | +421 918 918 010 | Envidom & SEWA |
| Slovenia | Samsung Electronics Austria Gmbh |
M. Blutmager | +43 1 516 15 66 | Via distributors |
| Spain | Samsung Electronics Iberia, S.A. |
JD Park | +34 91 714 3 763 | ERP & Ecotic |
| Sweden | Samsung Electronics Nordic AB |
P. Lundin | +46 8 590 966 72 | El Kretsen |
| Switzerland | Samsung Electronics Austria Gmbh |
M. Blutmager | +43 1 516 15 66 | SWICO |
| U.K. | Samsung Electronics (U. K.) Ltd. |
S. Jamieson | +44 1932 455 576 | ERP |
| USA | Samsung Electronics America, Inc. |
M. Moss | +1 310 900 5251 | Compliant by state legislation (refer to the map above for details) |
| Canada | Samsung Electronics Canada, Inc. |
T.Tutolo | +1 905 819 5147 | Compliant by state legislation (refer to the map above for details) |
| Japan | Samsung Japan Corporation |
SJ Cho | +81 3 3527 3566 | Recycling A Group |
| S.Korea | Samsung Electronics Co.Ltd. |
YJ Suh | +81 31 200 1779 | Samsung own scheme |
