From Old To Gold Upcycling Appliances Into New Home Solutions
Each year,
millions of home appliances reach the end of their operational lifespans and
are taken away for disposal.* However, their story doesn’t have to
finish there. Through transformative processes and technologies, these
discarded devices can be reborn as brand-new appliances, offering features and
performance tailored to the needs and preferences of today’s consumers.
Let’s explore how
old appliances are being turned into up-to-date and environmentally-conscious living
solutions by one of the leading innovators in the home appliance industry.
Urban
Mining: Unearthing new resources from discarded appliances
‘Urban mining’ means
extracting valuable resources from ‘retired’ household appliances. It involves recovering
and sorting any raw materials that can be used in the creation of new products.
Unlike incineration – a fate that befalls many disused appliances – this course
of action helps reduce carbon emissions and prevent environmental pollution. An
active urban miner, LG extracts several different materials from discarded
appliances – including plastic, iron, and non-ferrous metals – and then uses
them to help produce its advanced, new offerings.
LG Recycling
Center: Giving new life to old appliances
Since the end of
2021, LG has been implementing resource circulation programs in a total of 52
countries worldwide as part of its extensive efforts to combat greenhouse gas
emissions. At the LG Recycling Center in South Korea, which commenced operations
in 2001, raw materials are harvested from disposed-of home appliances,
meticulously sorted and processed before being made into ‘fresh’
eco-responsible appliance components.
Here are the four
main steps taken at the LG Recycling Center that make it possible to turn old
appliances into high-quality parts for new products.
Step 1: Collection
– Used appliances such as refrigerators, washers and air
conditioners are collected and transported to the center.
Step 2: Disassemble
and Crush – The
appliances are taken apart, and the components are crushed to achieve a
consistent size.
Step 3: Sorting
and Processing – After iron, aluminum, copper and plastic
materials have been sorted, the plastics are put through an additional process where
they are made into pellets; a convenient and renewable resource for the
manufacturing of plastic parts and goods.
Step 4: Rebirth – The pellets are melted and transformed into plastic
parts for use in the production of new LG home appliances.
Recycled
plastics: Giving life to LG’s captivating designs
Recycled plastics
play an important role in bringing the captivating designs of LG’s home
appliances to life, including those of the recently launched LG Styler ShoeCare
and ShoeCase. The LG PuriCare AeroFurniture air purifier and the LG tiiun mini,
which come in an array of vibrant colors to enliven the home, also employ
recycled plastics. Used in the construction of both products’ exteriors, these
repurposed materials contribute to the aesthetic appeal of LG’s innovations and
help reduce resource consumption and waste.
A
continuous virtuous cycle for the planet and consumers
LG has fully
embraced a ‘Sustainable Cycle’ approach, building eco-consciousness into every
stage of the home appliance lifecycle, from production and packaging to usage
and recycling. The company continues to utilise recycled materials extracted
and processed at the CRC in the manufacture of new appliances – appliances that
minimise power consumption and emissions, and are themselves highly recyclable.
In this way, LG has created a virtuous cycle that simultaneously benefits the
planet and consumers.
Stepping up its
efforts even further, LG plans to reach a cumulative total of 600,000 tons of recycled
plastics (for producing home appliance components) by the beginning of the next
decade. The ambitious target is set out in the company’s ‘Better Life Plan 2030,’
and also forms part of LG’s broader strategy to achieve carbon neutrality.
Also by 2030, LG estimates
it will have recovered 8 million tons of out-of-use appliances for the purpose
of extracting recycled materials.
By implementing
initiatives such as proper product disposal and the extraction of materials
from discarded products, LG is able to create something new from something old,
showing how a firm commitment to people and the planet can help make a better
life for all.
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