LG Electronics opens innovative exhibition at world summit

The exhibition features the global digital leader's entire product range, including its newly-launched cell phones and LG's digital appliances. Emphasis is firmly on measures LG undertakes to reduce waste, conserve power and lower emissions.

"We are showing delegates and the public exactly what large corporations can do to achieve maximum sustainable development," said Mr. M.B. Shin, President, LG Electronics' Middle East & Africa Operations.

"Sustainable development within large multi-national companies has increasingly become a focus area. Many companies spend millions a year to clean environments, lower emissions and heighten awareness of the problem among their staff."

LG Electronics embarked on its own in-house awareness programme - 'Love The Environment, Love The Customer' - years ago. The programme has impacted all aspects of work within LG from packaging materials utilised to the smoking habits of staff.

"LG is now designated as an Environmentally Friendly Company within Korea and continues to concentrate on durable development activities, such as process improvements, development of eco-friendly products and clean technologies," said Shin.

"LG Electronics' main manufacturing site, the Changwon plants in Korea, have budgeted US $3.4 million this year for environmental, safety and health (ESH) related issues. This budget has been appropriated for the processing of waste and pollutants, the diagnosis of dangerous equipment and various innovative staff activities, which are both educational and community based."

Shin said LG has started reaping the benefits of ESH investment. "Refrigerator production has almost completely replaced CFCs with a foaming agent called cyclo-pentane, for which the ozone depletion potential is zero. LG has also developed the first home refrigerator with a linear compressor, the new mechanism has no crank shaft and is so efficient that the power consumption on installation is reduced by 50%," explained Shin.

LG's recently-developed plasma heat air-conditioner employs a power saving inverter motor and twin power cooling system that reduces power consumption by 60%.

A new scroll compressor is being utilised with fewer components, the compressor is smaller and more efficient.

"Within the R&D department, LG has investigated ways of saving space, time and electricity. LG has also developed the world's first, all-in-one microwave-and-toaster which effectively saves both resources and space," said Shin.

LG's Korea plant is also now recycling 84% of its waste. "The remained is either incinerated or disposed of in a safe manner," said Shin. LG's incinerating facility processes 3,900 tons a year of flammable waste and the steam generated is harnessed for use in the refrigerator manufacturing line. The amount of waste-water the company produces has halved over the last five years, the remaining waste-water is purified and discharged for future use.

Internally, LG has launched three programmes to ensure the health and safety of its employees. "A yellow card is given to those who violate any LG principle," explained Shin. The campaign has been so successful that LG took first place in an environmental competition hosted by the Korean Ministry of Labour. "Disaster incidences have been reduced to 0.14, which is considerably lower than the industry average," said Shin.