E-waste is often seen as one of the global economy’s greatest sustainability challenges, and rightly so; it’s forecast to rise to 74.6 million tons by 2030. But this challenge also provides an opportunity. Currently, most e-waste is left unsorted, meaning that precious constituent materials—from metals to rare earths—are consigned to landfill.
A core aspect of successful e-waste policy is working closely with consumers, which is why LG offers a free take-back service for e-waste in its largest market of South Korea, sending out specialists to collect bulky items free of charge. These materials are then taken to LG-operated recycling plants such as the LG Recycling Center in Chilseo, South Korea—in operation since 2001—where products are meticulously broken down for reuse. Overseas, LG operates recovery sites across 87 regions, working closely with local authorities to find better ways to enroll people in recycling programs.
“In 2021, LG utilized approximately 25,000 tons of recycled plastic in its products, and we plan to increase that up to 600,000* tons by 2030,” says Mr. Kwon, highlighting the importance of creating demand for more sustainable products. “While recycled plastic is currently used for TVs, monitors, washing machines, refrigerators and air conditioners.”
To be most effective, smart e-waste initiatives need to be paired with better production processes, however, and here LG has introduced novel energy management solutions, such as its Energy Storage System (ESS) and Building Energy Control (BECON). These innovations have already helped improve energy efficiency in product production by around 30% at LG Smart Park, in Changwon, South Korea.
The working environment in LG production centers has also been improved dramatically through Industry 4.0 innovations, with intelligent systems (built on innovation such as AI) performing dangerous or repetitive tasks, allowing skilled staff to focus on smart factory control. The result is a safer working environment and a reduction in defective products, further reducing waste. In March 2022, the World Economic Forum (WEF) recognized the work LG has been doing in revolutionizing production processes by designating the LG Smart Park in Changwon, South Korea, as a WEF Lighthouse Factory—so called because it lights the way for other businesses.
onsumer electronics increasingly power our lives, and feed a growing amount of e-waste. Here, experts from LG—the world’s number-one consumer electronics maker—share how the company is focusing on the circular economy to reduce waste and recycle precious materials.
How a Global Reset Helped to Put Humanity at the
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Full Circle: Making
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Wall Street Journal Custom Content is a unit of The Wall Street Journal advertising department. The Wall Street Journal news organization was not involved in the creation of this content.
E-waste from discarded consumer electronics has risen sharply in the past 15 years to reach more than 3 million tons in 2020.
“One of the best ways to preserve the Earth’s resources and reduce our footprint is through a virtuous cycle—to recycle, reuse and repurpose what we already have.”
Junmyung SonG
vice president, LG’s H&A business strategy division
An Untapped
Resource
Chilseo Recycling Center in South Gyeongsang province — in operation since 2001 — where products are meticulously broken down into parts for reuse
A New Approach to Production
There’s no magic bullet when it comes to keeping resources in circulation, which is why multiple initiatives need to be pursued at once. Take packaging, for example. Having introduced a company-wide design guidebook for packaging back in 2012, LG undertook a root-to-branch environmental assessment of packaging in 2020, reducing the amount used by 8.6%. A switch to polypropylene for the packaging of outdoor units of LG system air conditioners is inspiring a switch for air conditioner packaging, which could cut polystyrene use by 19 tons each year.
By approaching resource preservation through multiple perspectives and partnerships, LG is working to enact lasting change on a global scale. “Our various efforts, from product production to disposal, are all aimed at reducing the negative impact on the environment and creating a more sustainable life on Earth,” explains Mr. Junmyung Song, vice president of LG’s H&A business strategy division.
“Restoring the health of our planet requires everyone’s dedication and action. One of the best ways to preserve the Earth’s resources and reduce our footprint is through creating a virtuous cycle—to recycle, reuse and repurpose what we already have.”
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Consumer electronics have transformed the quality of life and economic empowerment of billions of individuals around the world during the last century, but the growth of these industries has also led to environmental challenges. From natural resource degradation to production inefficiencies to electronic-waste generation (with 53.6 million tons of e-waste having been created globally in 2019 alone) the challenges are manyfold, and require complex solutions.
This is why LG’s approach to making consumer electronics more sustainable not only focuses on e-waste, but also moves upstream to revolutionize production and procurement processes. “We aim to realize a circular economy that takes into consideration economic feasibility and environmental factors throughout all stages of production—from procurement of resources to manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal,” says Soonil Kwon, vice president and head of H&A Safety & Environment Division. These efforts are part of LG's Zero Negative Environmental Impact initiative.
“E-waste is made of multiple substances and also contains various heavy metals such as lead and mercury,” says Mr. Kwon. “If it’s carelessly mixed with normal garbage, it can adversely affect the environment and pose a serious threat to our lives. These organic pollutants can gather in the food chain and, as a result, become a serious threat to the human body.” By taking a radically different approach to resource management and developing new ways to keep precious resources in the supply chain, LG is working to inject circular-economy thinking into a global industry that has the potential to make a real difference.
A switch to polypropylene packaging for outdoor units of LG system air conditioners could cut polystyrene use by 19 tons each year.
The Changwon LG Smart Park, a production base of LG Electronics (LG), has been selected as a Lighthouse Factory by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
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LG BECON cloud provides customers with essential maintenance solutions that allow customers to make the most of their HVAC systems throughout the life of their LG products.
At an LG plant in South Korea, workers meticulously dismantle e-waste to obtain materials such as rare earths that can be recycled in consumer electronics products.
onsumer electronics increasingly power our lives–and feed a growing amount of e-waste. Here, experts from LG—the world’s number-one consumer electronics maker—share how the
Wall Street Journal Custom Content is a unit of The Wall Street Journal advertising department. The Wall Street Journal news organization was not involved in the creation of this content.
* Based on cumulative figures
* Based on cumulative figures
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LG Electronics is a global innovator in technology and consumer electronics that cares about people, community, and the environment by developing thoughtfully designed products and solutions.
LG Electronics is a global innovator in technology and consumer electronics that cares about people, community, and the environment by developing thoughtfully designed products and solutions.