Your next Samsung Galaxy handset will contain repurposed ocean-bound discarded fishing net plastic.
Samsung Electronics this week announced plans to give plastic waste a second life as a new material for use in its electronic devices—starting with the latest Galaxy gadgets, set to be revealed on Wednesday.
“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 (PCM) and recycled paper,” Samsung said in a news release. “With this transformation, the future of Galaxy technology will bring leading product design and deliver better environmental impact.”
Water bottles and grocery bags usually spring to mind when people hear “ocean-bound plastic,” but they’re not the only things littering the world’s waterways. According to Samsung, a “more hidden threat” is the 640,000 tons of fishing nets abandoned and discarded every year.
The so-called “ghost nets” are responsible for trapping and entangling marine life, damaging coral reefs and natural habitats, and eventually ending up in our food and water sources. “Collecting and repurposing these nets are vital first steps in keeping our oceans clean,” Samsung said, “as well as preserving the planet and our collective future.”
It’s unclear exactly what part the repurposed plastics play in the upcoming handsets. We’ll have to wait until this week’s virtual Unpacked event, where Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S22 series and Tab S8. Watch the event online at Samsung.com from 10 a.m. ET on Feb. 9, and stay tuned to PCMag for more details.
The eco-friendly announcement comes only a few weeks after Samsung stopped a 106-day toxic spill in Austin, Texas. More than 760,000 gallons of sulfuric acid waste drained into a stormwater pond over a period of 106 days, killing virtually all aquatic life in the local tributary.
