“This
is not the first move into sustainable packaging the company has made; Samsung
has been introducing environmentally friendly packaging to its notebook
computer line since 2018. Going forward, Samsung looks to expand this
‘eco-conscious packaging’ initiative into its wider product lines, including
its mobile devices, wearables, TVs, refrigerators and other home appliance
products,”
Samsung in a news
release declaring that they are banning plastic packaging.
Plastic
Bags are a problem. So too is plastic packaging...and at least one company is
taking action
Samsung
Electronics is implementing sustainable packaging practices for its products to
reduce plastic consumption and waste as reported in the article “Samsung
Electronics Adopts New Product Packaging Policy, Steps Up Commitment To
Sustainability”, published Thursday February 14, 2019,
The Jamaica Gleaner.
Samsung
has already begun the switch to more environmentally-friendly packaging since
2019 for all products in their portfolio, as pointed out by Samsung in their
Press Release, quote: “Additionally, in order to further support full-cycle
sustainability, Samsung has committed to only use sustainable forest
management-certified paper materials in its packaging and manuals by 2020”.
Samsung will replace plastic with the following alternatives:
1. Moulded
pulp trays
2. Recycled
paper containers
3. Recycled
plastic and bio-based bags
4. Fossil
fuel-free materials like starch for bags
So
why is this happening?
Samsung and Plastic
Packaging - Imported products still packaged in Styrofoam
This
is very good to hear as according to information out of the United Nations,
since the 1950s:
1. 8
million tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans each year
2. 8.3
billion tons of plastic have been produced
3. 1%
of that figure comes from renewable, non-fossil fuel-based resources
Thus
countries like Jamaica banning single-use plastic bags, straws and Styrofoam is
a response to the growing threat of plastic to our Environment and sectors that
are dependent on the environment, such as the Tourism Sector as noted in my blog
article entitled “How
the Jamaican Plastic Ban is creating Entrepreneurs but Styrofoam Alternatives
needed”.
But as I had pointed out in that article, a lot of single-use plastic and Styrofoam is still coming into Jamaica in the form of imported products that are packaged using these plastics. Jamaica has no power to ban them, so they have to act on conscience.
So
what caused Samsung to make this announcement?
Samsung and the EU -
Largest market means Organic packaging in demand
Samsung
is clearly patterning their moves after the European Union.
Earlier
in October 2018, they had declared that they would also be banning Single-use
plastic within their country by 2021 as reported in the article “Single-use
plastics ban approved by European Parliament”, published 24
October 2018, BBC.
The
European Union happens to be their biggest customer outside of the US of A. For
them, this is not just out of concern over the environment, but out of fear of
their products being banned from this large developing market that seems to
like their products, especially the S9 that I had recently test driven as noted
in my Geezam blog
article entitled “Samsung
Galaxy S9 Hands on –Matryoshka doll in a Mercedes 300SL”.
In
their press Release, Samsung also said, “This commitment to sustainable
practices in product packaging is part of a wider series of midterm initiatives
put in place by Samsung to transform the way the company manages its
resources.”
Whatever their motivation, this may also be good for Jamaica as well, as we can get into the making some of these alternative packaging solutions.
Moulded
pulp is a fusion material that uses no wood fibres. It incorporates waste
by-products such as sugar cane residue, basically making it possible to recycle
everything from wood waste cuttings and sugar cane trash or bagasse and even
paper to make packaging....
Jamaica
now needs to gear up for another new initiative - collecting and recycling
paper to make packaging!
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