LG Takes Leading Role In Environmental Sustainability Programs

SEOUL--(Korea Newswire)--LG Electronics (LG) is furthering its commitment to “Green Management” by empowering its business units and subsidiaries to take greater responsibility for the entire lifecycle of LG’s products, from production to disposal.

At the end of the month, LG will join the Basel Action Network (BAN), a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Seattle that monitors the trade of toxic products and fights environmental degradation. LG and BAN hope to jointly develop and participate in e-Stewards Global Enterprise, a global management program for the disposal of electronics goods. BAN is the best-known NGO in North America dealing with the verification of waste disposal companies, developing programs for toxin management and the surveillance of hazardous articles.

LG and BAN will cooperate to expand the scope of the e-Steward Enterprise, which BAN has previously limited to North America and certain other areas. The aim of the agreement is to further protect the environment by sharing LG’s knowledge with respect to cutting-edge electronics development processes and BAN’s unique stewardship capabilities. BAN, which has just recently been expanded globally, will provide lists of BAN-certified companies for LG to hire in order to avoid illegal landfill practices or the export of harmful waste to underdeveloped countries.

Earlier this year, LG was the main corporate supporter of the Great American Cleanup, organized by Keep America Beautiful, an environmental organization. Approximately 1.5 million tons of used electronics were collected with the help of a million participants.

According to LG’s latest Environment Report released on July 21, 2010, almost 200,000 tons of used electronics products had been collected globally, an increase of 19 percent over the previous year. LG is cooperating with the city of Ulsan, a major industrial and manufacturing center in Korea, to collect used electronics parts free of charge. Over the first half of 2011, LG collected 279 tons, including 2,240 refrigerators, 115 washing machines and 3,545 mobile phones, as well as various other products in Ulsan.

What’s more, LG is the first company in Korea to have signed a collection agreement with a local government. In this case, Ulsan takes responsibility for collecting the used electronics for free and LG takes on the task of processing them using eco-friendly methods. This agreement is a small but important piece of LG’s overall plan to increase the quantity of used electronics goods year by year, while improving the company’s resource recycling capabilities and management of hazardous substances.

“In the 21st Century, multinational companies like LG must step up and take a greater role in working to protect the environment. This commitment is not just about recycling; it is about making changes to the entire production process, right from the factory floor all the way to the final disposal of the product,” said Jong-min Shin, Vice President of LG’s Eco Strategy Team. “LG understands this commitment and what it means to our customers, and the company is working hard to become a global leader in this regard.”

Website: http://www.lge.co.kr

This is a news release distributed by Korea Newswire on behalf of this company.