Samsung Launches Free Toner Cartridge Recycling Program

Business Wire, Nov 27, 2007

Samsung makes it easy for businesses and consumers to recycle their used cartridges

IRVINE, Calif. -- Samsung Electronics America, Inc.'s Information Technology Division announces the Samsung Takeback And Recycle program (STAR) that will offer free return and recycling of empty Samsung brand Toner Cartridges for both business and consumer owners of Samsung's award-winning line of laser and multi-function printers.

This advanced, environmentally conscious recycling program safely reprocesses returned cartridges into their major usable component materials and then makes those bulk reprocessed materials available to the commodity marketplace for reuse in new manufacturing for a range of other products. This free service for Samsung laser printer owners insures that cartridges returned through this program are not sent to landfills or otherwise improperly disposed.

The STAR program offers two simple, no cost options for customers to return empty toner cartridges. Select Samsung toner cartridge boxes will contain a pre-addressed, pre-paid FedEx shipping label. To return the cartridge, a customer simply inserts the used cartridge into the empty box from the new, replacement Samsung toner cartridge, and can then contact FedEx for a free pickup, or drop the box off at any of the 51,000 FedEx drop off locations nationwide. Customers also can drop off their shipment at the more than 1,600 FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Center locations throughout the U.S. Alternately, any Samsung laser printer owner can go to www.samsung.com/starus where they can print out a pre-addressed, pre-paid FedEx return shipping label. The same free and convenient FedEx drop off options apply if customers chose to print their own labels as well.

According to a recent research study by Infotrends (www.infotrends.com), nearly half of all exhausted OEM toner cartridges in the U.S. and Western Europe are thrown out by users and not returned for recycling. Samsung's program is designed to be simple and convenient, with the aim of encouraging printer users to return their cartridges and thereby reducing the number or cartridges thrown away and not recycled.

The STAR program addresses the final phases of the product lifecycle for exhausted toner cartridges, insuring they are collected and reprocessed in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, thereby minimizing their overall environmental impact and preventing these empty cartridges from ending up in landfills.

"An important Samsung Green Management objective is to take responsibility at each stage of the product lifecycle for the environmental impact of our products," said Mr. JH Kim, ITD Division President for Samsung Electronics America, "including offering a completely free and simple to use recycling return program that provides Samsung users a convenient way to insure exhausted products are reused in an environmentally responsible process."

Samsung also offers the EnviroSync Trade-Up Program for owners of other printer and display brands, offering customers who purchase energy-efficient new Samsung IT printer and display products a convenient way to return their old electronic equipment and ship it to Samsung's U.S. recycling facilities for proper processing. More information on this program is available at: www.anythingIT.com/Samsung/html.

To find the nearest FedEx drop-off locations, customers can visit fedex.com and select the "Locations" tab.

About Samsung Electronics America Information Technology Division

Samsung's Information Technology Division (ITD) markets a complete line of award-winning LCD Monitor products, including professional large format LCD and Plasma displays. ITD also markets an award-winning line of color and monochrome laser printers and multifunction devices, video security systems and the family of Samsung Q1 Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers (UMPC). Samsung ITD is committed to supporting the needs of its channel partners in the professional, commercial, corporate, and SOHO markets. Based in Irvine, California, ITD is a division of Samsung Electronics America (SEA), a U.S. subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Company, Ltd. (SEC). The SEA organization oversees the North American operations of Samsung including Samsung Telecommunications America, LP, Samsung Electronics Canada, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Mexico, Inc. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information or call 1-800-SAMSUNG.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 90 offices in 51 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com