Samsung Electronics reaffirms its commitment to the environment

Samsung is developing printers that automatically shift from sleep mode to power-saving mode after a certain time as well as eco-friendly products which minimize noise, decrease ozone emissions and levels of lead, mercury, and selenium.

Samsung Electronics has acquired Germany's Blue-Angel mark, a certification for meeting environmental standards. The Blue-Angel mark, is given to safe and eco-friendly products, and is one of the most complicated certifications in the world with comprehensive review standards ranging from raw materials, manufacturing process, to recycling after disposal. The Blue-Angel mark reinforces Samsung Electronics' commitment to the environment and to manufacturing state of the art products which deliver performance but also respect and minimise emissions.

In addition EU nations will honour the enforcement of RoHS (restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment) which bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. In support of this environmental campaign from EU nations, Samsung Electronics has banned the use of six major substances including lead, mercury, cadmium, 6-calence chromium, PBB and PBDE satisfying all of the RoHS and the EU's environmental regulatory standards.

In addition to the above, Samsung Electronics continues to operate its recycling center in Asan, South Korea since August 2006 for the purpose of recovering discarded electronics and toner cartridges, treating them safety, and re-using them.

Recently, Queenland University of Technology in Australia announced the result of a study that laser printers emitted clouds of ultra-fine particles into the air; 17 of 62 printers were classified 'High Level Emitters'. The highest emitters release particles at a rate comparable to the particle emissions from cigarette smoking.

Mr. Jang-Jae Lee, Senior Vice President of Samsung's Digital Printing Division, pointed,

'Samsung Electronics puts safety first in all product development and manufacturing. All Samsung Electronics products have passed rigorous and comprehensive tests to ensure that they meet and when possible improve on international standards and directives.'