Samsung has revealed that it’s currently reviewing options to limit the potential environmental impact of disposing of its discontinued Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. It’s believed that the firm has recalled over 3 million handsets following its decision to stop producing the device after numerous reports of units spontaneously bursting into flames surfaced online.
Environmental group Greenpeace published a press release earlier this week demanding that Samsung finds a way to reuse the large quantity of rare materials — cobalt, gold, palladium and tungsten — that went into the components packed inside Galaxy Note 7 for its next-generation smartphones, including the long-rumored Galaxy S8.
“We recognize the concerns around the discontinuation of the Galaxy Note 7 and are currently reviewing possible options that can minimize the environmental impact of the recall in full compliance with relevant local environmental regulations,” Samsung said in an official statement issued to Reuters on Thursday, November 3.
Seeing as it has such a large amount of units to dispose of, it would certainly be wise for Samsung to recycle components where it can. After all, the entire Galaxy Note 7 debacle is estimated to have cost it around $19 billion, so it’s hardly in a position to simply cut all ties with the device and start over. It needs to reuse materials to prevent a further decline in profits.
