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EPA Honors LG with 'Champion" Award for Sustainable Materials Management

Underscoring its leadership in environmental sustainability, LG Electronics USA was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the Champion Award, special recognition for demonstrating significant environmental, social and economic outcomes that go above and beyond the requirements of the EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge.

Published 6 years ago | About a 4 minute read

The company received the Product Champion Award for LG OLED TVs, which are designed to reduce environmental impact and to be easier to disassemble and recycle. Presented here today on “CES® 2018 Sustainability Day,” the Champion Award recognizes LG’s “leadership in innovating processes and products that focus on environmentally responsible material use throughout its entire lifecycle” according to the EPA.

LG also earned the EPA’s Silver Tier Award in recognition of LG’s significant contributions to the EPA’s SMM Electronics Challenge goals by collecting a significant amount of used electronics for reuse and recycle, sending 100 percent of used electronics to certified third-party recyclers, and publicly sharing detailed information about its electronic management practices.

“Innovative industry leaders like LG – finding new, sustainable methods to reduce electronic waste – are paving the way for the future of manufacturing,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “Through their efforts, our SMM Electronics Challenge exemplifies the ability to promote economic growth while protecting human health and the environment.”

LG OLED Champion Award
EPA is recognizing LG for its “vision in continually replacing and reducing use of hazardous materials in electronics products by developing OLED TVs that are mercury-free, use PVC-free internal cables and BFR-free housing and stand parts, and greatly reduce the potential harm to humans and the environment.”

Production processes that reduce or eliminate toxic materials demonstrate LG’s vision for the future of electronics to minimize environmental and human health through product advancements. Razor-thin LG OLED TVs have reduced raw material content compared to conventional flat panel TVs. LG has also reduced the number of plastic resins used in its product design and labeled those resins to facilitate disassembly and recycling.

The EPA commended LG for its high level of engagement with suppliers to improve their environmental performance by transferring LG’s greener technologies and know-how to suppliers’ operations through the company’s “Green Program Plus” initiative.

LG OLED TVs also earned the Design for Recycling® Award from the world’s leading recycling industry group, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. ISRI’s highest honor recognized LG for developing OLED and LED TVs with greener features designed to re- duce the environmental load at every stage of the product lifecycle. In addition, LG OLED models were the first TVs to earn UL “GREENGUARD” Certification that helps create healthier indoor environments. UL Environment’s rigorous GREENGUARD testing con- firmed low chemical and formaldehyde emissions from LG OLED TVs.

Electronics Recycling Leadership
According to Barnes Johnson, Director of the EPA Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, who presented the awards at CES 2018, the successful practices spearheaded by LG are inspiring examples of how other manufacturers and brand owners are “working to make electronics more sustainable throughout their lifecycles, from design to manufacturing to end-of-life management.”

William Cho, president and CEO, LG Electronics USA, applauded the EPA SMM Electronics Challenge program, which encourages responsible recycling. “By using third-party certified recyclers, we’re proud to help drive the use of environmentally protective practices. LG’s leadership in the Challenge reflects our strong commitment to building a robust market for electronic recycling in the U.S.”

LG’s SMM Challenge Award recognizes the collection and responsible recycling of nearly 21,000 tons of used electronics, diverting solid waste from landfills in the past year. This avoided the equivalent of more than 55,000 tons of CO2 emissions. At collection events, LG encourages consumers to replace recycled electronics with new, more energy efficient ENERGY STAR® certified LG TV and monitors.

“Sustainability is a core business principle at LG Electronics, and we believe LG has a shared responsibility to protect the environment by reducing our environmental impact while enhancing the quality of life for consumers. We call this ‘Innovation For A Better Life’, and it means both responsible recycling and developing innovative products with the environment in mind,” Cho said.

Learn more about LG’s responsible electronics recycling programs and overall sustainability efforts by visiting www.lgrecyclingprogram.com/