SAMSUNG Shoots for Gold in EPA’s Call for Responsible Recycling

A recognized leader in sustainability helps launch EPA’s newest initiative to promote environmental protection in the electronics industry

Samsung Electronics America, Inc., the technology leader and innovator in consumer electronics and telecommunications, pledged to achieve the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) highest standard for sustainable materials management (SMM) in the electronics industry.

Samsung Recycling Direct (SRD), the company’s U.S. recycling program, earned the distinction of becoming the first manufacturer to achieve e-Stewards Certification, a recognition issued by the Basel Action Network, the leading source of information and advocacy on hazardous waste issues worldwide. This certification demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to achieve the highest standard of environmental responsibility and worker protection in electronic disposal. As an e-Stewards Enterprise, Samsung requires their recyclers to be e-Stewards Certified, ensuring third-party verification that all Samsung e-waste is processed properly. To date, SRD has recycled more than 50 million pounds of electronics in the United States since it began in 2008.

“Samsung has long been committed to sustainability and is proud to be among the first to show our support for the EPA whose initiative aligns perfectly with our commitment to protect the people and the environment through responsible recycling,” said Yangkyu (Y.K.) Kim, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America. “Under our global Planet First initiative, we are working to manage our operations sustainably while developing not only the most innovative technology, but also the most energy efficient products.”

The SMM Electronics Challenge is the first formalized program of its kind stemming from the U.S. government’s National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship. The strategy commits the federal government to specific actions that encourage environmentally friendly design of electronic products, promote recycling of used or discarded electronics, and advance a domestic market for electronics recycling to protect public health and create jobs. The challenge asks manufacturers and retailers of electronics to voluntarily commit to sending 100% of electronics collected for reuse and recycling to third-party certified recyclers.

“Already, the United States generates almost 2.5 million tons of electronic waste per year – and that number will only grow. Used electronics have materials in them that can be recovered and recycled, reducing the economic costs and environmental impacts of securing and processing new materials for new products,” said Lisa. P. Jackson, EPA Administrator. “The SMM Electronics Challenge will help us ensure that we are doing all we can to repurpose or safely dispose of the cell phones, computers and other devices we use every day – all while helping to build a robust market for electronics recycling in the United States.”

The SMM Challenge has three tiers of participation with increasingly comprehensive requirements from Bronze to Silver to Gold. Samsung officially committed today to Gold level participation where 96-100% of all electronics collected for recycling and reuse is sent to third-party certified recycling vendors.
For more information on the SMM Electronics Challenge and industry collaboration, please visit www.epa.gov/smm.


About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 206,000 people in 197 offices across 72 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LED. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.