In a couple of days, Samsung will hold its much-awaited Galaxy Unpacked event and unleash the Samsung Galaxy S22 line models. Today, ahead of the launch, Samsung revealed that the upcoming phones will be made from repurposed ocean-bound plastics such as discarded fishing nets for the first time.
Samsung said that this is a part of ongoing efforts to “minimize its environmental footprint and help foster more sustainable lifestyles for the Galaxy community.”
The Galaxy S22 series models will be the first to incorporate repurposed ocean-bound plastics. The latter is defined as “abandoned plastic waste of all sizes that are located within 50 kilometers of shores in communities or areas where the waste management is inexistent or very inefficient”. Not surprisingly, the tech company is going to use this technology for its entire product lineup over time.
“These devices will reflect our ongoing effort to eliminate single-use plastics and expand the use of other eco-conscious materials, such as recycled post-consumer material and recycled paper,” Samsung said in a release.
In a blog post, Samsung also talked about the 640,000 tons of fishing nets that are abandoned each year. It’s worth noting that much of the material eventually traps marine life, damages coral reefs, and even makes its way into the food chain.
“These discarded fishing nets are disrupting the delicate balance of our environment at an alarming rate,” the company said, adding that collecting and repurposing the nets “are vital first steps in keeping our oceans clean as well as preserving the planet and our collective future.”
However, we should note that Samsung is not the only tech company that makes green efforts. We can even say that it follows in the footsteps of Microsoft. The Redmond-based company last year announced the Ocean Plastic Mouse made with 20% recycled ocean plastic. Though Adidas is not a tech firm, it has been working on similar products for years. We guess you know that it is using repurposed plastic waste to make some of its sneakers. Another example is the Danish watchmaker Skagen last year unveiled the Aaren Ocean watch. As the name implies, it uses recycled ocean plastics in the wristband, case, and dial.
“Repurposing ocean-bound plastics is just the first step in our collective mission to address the climate crisis, and Samsung looks forward to using our scale, innovation, and open collaboration to uncover additional solutions. Learn more about our vision for a sustainable future at Unpacked (February 9th at 10 a.m. EST).”
