November 26, 2024

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An image of an abandoned fishing net at the bottom of the Indian Ocean (Samsung Electronics)

Samsung Electronics said Monday it plans to reuse discarded fishing nets as a new material for handset devices as part of its sustainability strategy announced earlier this year,

According to the South Korean tech giant, the repurposed ocean-bound plastics, also known as “ghost nets,” will be incorporated in Samsung’s new product lineup under its Mobile Experience division, starting with the new Galaxy devices to be unveiled in the Unpacked event on Feb. 9, at 10 a.m. US Eastern Standard Time.

Collecting and repurposing discarded fishing nets -- which amount to 640,000 metric tons each year -- could help mitigate the marine environment threat, the company added.

The move is in line with Samsung’s sustainability goal to eliminate single-use plastics for packaging and incorporate recycled material in all new mobile gadgets by 2025, under the “Galaxy for the Planet” vision unveiled in August. The Monday announcement marks the first collective action to address the climate crisis, the company said in a statement.

Information about the new products -- presumed to be the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 series -- have been kept under wraps. Their respective Ultra variants are anticipated to feature built-in S Pens, a special stylus made for the Galaxy series.

The products have been receiving preorders globally starting January and will began to be shipped out by late February.

With the new gadgets, Samsung is expected to beef up competition in the smartphone market worldwide in the first quarter, as its archrival Apple is also rumored to be unveiling low-cost 5G iPhones and iPads in as early as March.

By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)