Samsung – Engaging consumers in used phone collection

Samsung is collaborating with various local partners in Korea to raise consumer awareness and expand their participation in used mobile phone collection and recycling. 

Since January 2024, Samsung has been engaged in a consumer-driven used phone collection program in Korea in collaboration with the Gyeonggi Province Office, CJ Logistics and Recycler, E-Cycle Governance. By applying for a collection service of used phones on Samsung’s Corporate Sustainability website, consumers can initiate the recycling process of their end-of-life mobile phones from the comfort of their homes. Once the collected phones arrive at the recycling centre, they are thoroughly crushed and shredded – eliminating concerns of a personal data breach – and processed to extract valuable resources such as gold, silver, copper, lithium, and cobalt.  

Moreover, Samsung is engaging youth to educate them on resource circularity and empower them from earlier on to participate in the used phone collection and recycling program in partnership with the Korea Zero Waste Movement Network, a national NGO for waste reduction and recycling. Through this initiative, training materials have been developed, and “Circular Economy Classes” have been carried out for more than 5,000 students during the pilot phase in 2024. This partnership also launched used phone collection campaigns at schools and community centres across five different municipalities, including the most populous Seoul metropolitan area. 

Samsung plans to scale this program across different regions in Korea and possibly beyond, to raise awareness of resource recycling through used phone collection and ultimately drive behavioural change among the youth population who will shape the future consumption patterns of mobile devices.