Discarded fishing nets. | Picture by special arrangement.  

Samsung has announced that its upcoming Galaxy devices, which are slated to be launched this week, will be made partly with recycled fishing nets. Its entire product line-up would also incorporate repurposed ocean plastics going forward, it confirmed.

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The South Korea-based company said it has developed a new material made with repurposed ocean-bound discarded fishing nets that would otherwise become dangerous waste.

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The move that gives ocean plastics new life is part of the company’s ongoing effort to eliminate single-use plastics and expand the use of other eco-conscious materials, the tech giant noted. “Repurposing ocean-bound plastics is just the first step in our collective mission to address the climate crisis,” it added.

According to the company, about 6,40,000 tons of fishing nets that are a “hidden threat” to the environment, are abandoned and discarded every year.

“Lingering in our oceans for centuries, these ‘ghost nets’ are responsible for trapping and entangling marine life, damaging coral reefs and natural habitats and even ending up in our food and water sources,” Samsung explained.

Using recycled ocean plastics in electronic devices is something that other companies have also considered. Last year, Microsoft had announced an Ocean Plastic Mouse for its surface devices. The mouse was created using a resin made of 20% recycled ocean plastic recovered or washed ashore from oceans and waterways.

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