Samsung Launches Free Recycling Program

Samsung Electronics America Inc. announced Samsung Recycling Direct, a program that allows for the take back and recxycling of Samsung-branded consumer electronics across all of its product lines.

The program begins Oct. 1. Starting then, people will be able to drop off their Samsung-branded consumer electronics sold in the United States at convenient collection sites, including permanent drop-off centers in all 50 states, and at a wide range of recycling events across the country. Through this convenient recycling program, Samsung consumer electronics will be accepted for no fee, and non-Samsung-branded consumer electronics will be accepted for a nominal fee paid directly to Samsung’s contracted recycling partners upon delivery of the e-waste.

"Since the 1996 launch of our global Green Management Initiative, Samsung Electronics Co. has been a staunch advocate of preserving our environment and greening the consumer electronics industry," said DJ Oh, president and CEO, Samsung Electronics America. "As a global enterprise, we have worked diligently to put our environmental responsibility philosophy into practice across our worldwide operations, among our suppliers and partners, and within our local communities. Today we are very pleased to once again affirm those philosophies by announcing that our Samsung Recycling Direct 50-state take-back and recycling commitment extends across all Samsung-branded consumer electronics sold in the United States with the exception of home appliances. However, there will be a growing number of drop-off locations that will accept home appliances."

Samsung elected to contract directly with recycling companies, unlike other consumer electronics TB&R programs that rely on intermediaries. Samsung conducted extensive research into the qualifications, capabilities, and integrity of these companies to ensure that they mirror Samsung’s own environmental philosophy. As such, this program will only use recyclers that do not incinerate, landfill, or export toxic waste to developing countries.

The program also allows Samsung to track and monitor all of the collected consumer electronics for added assurance that it is recycled responsibly. Oh added, "We took the extra care to develop the Samsung Recycling Direct program to achieve the highest integrity end-of-life standards. Samsung Electronics America has set scorecard standards with our contracted recyclers, and we will track and monitor their processes and results very closely."

Samsungg Recycling Direct results will be posted on www.samsung.com/recyclingdirect throughout the year. This will provide an unprecedented level of transparency to the public.

Some of the recycling partners involved in the Samsung program include the following:

Chicago-based SIMS Group Ltd., which has operations on the Northeast region, the West Coast, the Midwest, and the South.

Wisconsin-based CRT Processing LLC, which has operations across the Northeast region, the Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest regions.

New York-based Eco International LLC, which has operations across the mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and West.

Minnesota-based JFRC, LLC, which operates in the northern Midwest.