Samsung will recycle discarded fishing nets to make Galaxy devices. The Galaxy S22 range will be the first to benefit from this ecological measure.
The Galaxy Unpacked on February 9 will be dedicated to the announcement of new Galaxy devices and Samsung has a surprise in store. The Galaxy S22s will be partly made from a new, more durable material: fishing nets. The South Korean manufacturer will now use abandoned fishing nets to manufacture its devices. “From now on, Samsung will integrate discarded plastic from the oceans into its entire product line”, explains the brand in a press release. She adds that the Galaxy devices that will be presented this Wednesday will be the first concerned.
The manufacturer indicates that it wants to combine “sustainability and innovation” with this project. He adds that he scores a “new stage” in its sustainable development strategy. Its ambition is to eliminate single-use plastic, but also to expand the use of other environmentally friendly materials, such as recycled paper. During the summer of 2021, Samsung had unveiled galaxy for the planet and a series of objectives to be achieved by 2025. By this date, the market leader plans in particular to use in recycled materials in all its new mobile devices. It also plans to eliminate all plastic from packaging and reduce the power consumption of chargers in standby mode (to less than 0.005 W).
Why is Samsung going to use fishing nets?
Rightly, Samsung points out that we tend to think of a water bottle or a plastic bag when it comes to plastic from the oceans. However, the manufacturer highlights the fact that 640,000 tonnes of fishing nets are abandoned each year. It relies for this on a study published in 2009 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, a specialized agency of the UN). It reveals that the fishing industry leaves tons of gear underwater, which poses pollution and threatens marine life.
Samsung wants to give ” a new life “ to these nets to prevent them from becoming ” dangerous waste “. “These abandoned fishing nets are upsetting the delicate balance of our environment at an alarming rate”adds the brand behind the Galaxy. “Recovering and repurposing these nets are the first steps needed to keep our oceans clean, as well as preserving the planet and our future communities”.
The South Korean manufacturer is not the first to integrate plastic waste from the seas or oceans into its devices. Last year, Microsoft presented a mouse designed with 20% recycled plastic. For its part, Samsung does not specify in what proportions the fishing nets will be used in its devices. These initiatives come as GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft) and smartphone manufacturers are regularly criticized for the pollution they generate.
As a reminder, Samsung will present the Galaxy S22 this Wednesday, February 9 during a Galaxy Unpacked. New tablets are also expected during the event.
