Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today announced that it has received UL’s Zero Waste to Landfill validation of Gold level and above for all of its global semiconductor operation sites. This signifies that Samsung’s semiconductor sites in South Korea, US and China meet the requirement of more than 95-percent waste diversion through methods that do not involve thermal processing. In particular, the Samsung DSR building in Hwaseong, Korea, home to most of its local semiconductor R&D staff, is validated for Zero Waste to Landfill at the Platinum level for reaching 100-percent waste diversion.
“The Zero Waste to Landfill Gold validation is testament to the care and effort by our employees around the world to protect the environment,” said Chanhoon Park, executive vice president of global infrastructure technology at Samsung Electronics. “Eco-friendly operations are now a must for any business and we will continue to ensure sustainable growth that is mindful of the environment that we live and operate in.”
Starting with Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s (Austin, USA) validation in January, the five semiconductor manufacturing sites in Korea (Giheung, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Onyang and Cheonan) and two in China (Xi’an and Suzhou) have all received validation for Zero Waste to Landfill Gold level and above for their waste diversion initiatives as of June, 2020. These programs were designed to minimize the environmental footprint by shifting waste management methods from thermal processing or landfill disposals to recycling and reuse, enabled by innovation in manufacturing techniques and continued investment on existing systems, as well as robust employee awareness and waste reduction campaigns.
Reviewed and certified by third-party industry testing and certification organization, UL, the achievement is a milestone that affirms Samsung’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. These efforts are visible not only with Samsung’s high-performance energy-efficient products but also throughout its semiconductor manufacturing operations spanning across its global network of more than 60,000 employees worldwide.
“By pursuing zero waste to landfill validation, Samsung is demonstrating its commitment to reducing waste as a key sustainability initiative at the semiconductor sites,” said Alberto Uggetti, vice president and general manager, environment and sustainability division at UL. “The Zero Waste to Landfill achievements at its semiconductor sites reflect its dedication to the environmental leadership and UL is pleased to validate its efforts.”