Michał Stekla
Have you ever wondered what happens to the waste in factories where modern screens for TVs and smartphones are made? Samsung Display has just announced that all its plants – both in South Korea and overseas – have received the highest (platinum) rating of "Zero Waste to Landfill". What does this mean in practice?
“Zero Waste to Landfill” is an initiative aimed at maximising the reduction of waste sent to landfills. In other words, companies want to recycle nearly everything they would normally throw away. Certification comes from UL Solutions, an organisation that checks what percentage of waste is recycled. The scale is as follows:
Silver: 89.5–94.4% recycling
Gold: 94.5–99.4% recycling
Platinum: 99.5–100% recycling
Samsung Display boasts the highest platinum level for all eight of its campuses (four in Korea and four outside its borders).
According to the company's announcement, the amount of waste has decreased from around 190 thousand tonnes in 2021 to 150 thousand tonnes in 2023. Additionally, even these 150 thousand tonnes are being recycled at least 99.5%. Sounds great, right? However, it must be acknowledged that the official announcement contains a lot of corporate boasting. Nevertheless, the fact that waste reduction and processing is good news for the environment remains unchanged.
Here’s a brief summary of the data:
Category | Results/Description |
|---|---|
Recycling rate | Platinum (99.5–100% of waste is processed) |
Facilities in Korea | Asan1, Asan2, Cheonan, Giheung |
Overseas facilities | China (Dongguan, Tianjin), India (Noida), Vietnam (SDV) |
Amount of waste (2021) | Approximately 190,000 tonnes |
Amount of waste (2023) | Approximately 150,000 tonnes (a decrease of over 20%) |
Examples of recycling | PVC from production lines reused, glass processed into fibreglass or paving stones |
Does it matter to the “ordinary” viewer?
Absolutely! Although there are many elements of typical corporate PR in this message, it's important that key electronic equipment manufacturers are starting to care about the environment. Less waste means less resource consumption and potentially a cleaner planet.
Ultimately, it's worth appreciating the efforts in recycling, even if the company is clearly boasting about it. Let’s hope that similar steps will be taken by other enterprises, and we as consumers will benefit from more eco-friendly devices. After all, each of us uses electronics, and its production doesn't always have to be associated with massive piles of rubbish.
