What you need to know
- Samsung has developed a new material to give ocean-bound plastics "a new life."
- The Galaxy S22 series will be the first to incorporate repurposed ocean-bound plastics.
- Samsung plans to use eco-conscious materials throughout its entire product lineup in the future.
Samsung is set to take the wraps off its Galaxy S22 series phones on February 9. Ahead of its first Unpacked event of 2022, Samsung has announced that the flagship phones incorporate a "new material" made with repurposed ocean-bound discarded fishing nets.
The use of this new material marks an important step in Samsung's Galaxy for the Planet journey, which aims to minimize the company's environmental footprint and "help foster more sustainable lifestyles for the Galaxy community."
By giving new life to discarded fishing nets that would otherwise become dangerous waste, Samsung – through its creative solution – exemplifies how we can all do more with less to conserve our planet's resources.
While the Galaxy S22 series phones will be the first to use the new material, Samsung has confirmed plans of using it throughout the Galaxy product lineup in the future. Samsung will also expand the use of other eco-friendly materials like recycled post-consumer material and recycled paper.
According to a report from FAO Consultants, nearly 640,000 tons of fishing nets are abandoned each year. These "ghost nets" end up entangling marine creatures, damaging coral reefs, and disrupting the delicate balance of the environment. They are also among the most significant reasons behind the decline in the population of all kinds of marine life, including whales.
As suggested by various leaks, however, all three Galaxy S22 series will use a metal and glass design. This means the phones won't include a high percentage of the new material developed by Samsung. The successors to Samsung's best budget Android phones, on the other hand, could be made almost entirely of eco-friendly materials.
