LG 2008 Annual Report Download - page 34

With the goal of creating a cleaner planet and protecting people’s health, LG Electron ics has established an enviro n m en tal
management strategy which includes the developm ent of “green products.” In addition, we support various enviro n m en tal
protection activities. On the com pliance side, w e operate assessm ent and m onito ring system s as w ell as an internal
management system, allow ing us to proactively respond to any and all enviro n m e n ta l issues. We also put enviro n m en tal
management into practice by adopting an enviro n m en tally friendly mindset throughout the entire production process.
ECO-DESIGN & GREEN PRODUCTS
Eco-design refers to the system atic integration of enviro n m e n tal aspects into product design to re du ce the overall enviro n m e n tal
impact of a product. It also includes the developm ent and rem odeling of a product, as well as its price, quality, raw materials,
design and production, use, and disposal. As the first com pany in Korea to declare its commitment to a cleaner enviro n m e n t
(in 1994), LG Electro n ics alrea dy has a decade-long track record of environ m e n tal stew ardship. Our efforts to provide green
products include resources reduction (by reducing the w eight and volum e of products and using recycled/bio m aterials),
improvements to recyclability (by using recyclable m aterials and designing for easy disassem bly), the enhancem ent of
efficiencies (by red u cing pow er consum ption and standby pow er), and the lessening of hazardous substances (by eliminating the
use of h eavy metals and using materials that are less harm ful to hum ans). We are also committed to designs using healthcare
functions, decreasing noise and vibration levels, and to CO2 em issions re du ctions using re n ew a b le energy and longer product
life cycles.
ELIMINATING HAZARDOUS SUBSTAN CES
In order to insure that parts and materials fro m outside sources do not contain any hazardous substances, LG Electro n ics
has installed X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) equipm ent at all its workplaces and subsidiaries, both at hom e and abroad. Parts and
materials that might contain hazardous substances must be monitored precisely during production. The Eco Strategy Team
operates a hazardous substance analysis lab that is equipped with precision instru m e n ts, such as ICP, IC, GCM S, HPLC, and
VOC cham ber. In February 2005, the lab was certified as an official analysis center by U n d erw riters Laboratories (UL), an
international organization for product safety testing and certifications. The com pany’s accurate and clear-cut analytical skills
were also acknow ledged by the Germ an authority, TÜ V Rheiland, with official certification being obtained in May 2006.
IMPROVING RECYCLABILITY
LG Electro n ics is re sp o n ding to global reg u lations on the recovery and trea tment of disposed hom e appliances and maintains
basic facilities for recycling. We also provide inform ation so that consum ers can easily access nearby disposal points.
MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE
LG Electro n ics has set up a greenhouse gas inventory at the com pany’s thirteen dom estic sites. Em issions data were certified by
DNV, a com pany specializing in independent third party services.
We have set 2008 as the com pany’s baseline, and are aiming to gradually minimize our greenhouse gas em issions going forw ard.
In January 2009, we announced our “L ife’s Good When It’s G reen 2020” initiative during the Las Vegas CES conference. Aimed
at mitigating climate change, this program includes such technologies as energy efficient, re n ew a b le energy, and greenhouse
gas-recovery technologies (for R&D), supply chain management involving on-site greenhouse gas inventories, product carbon
footprints, and green logistics and procurem ent (for system s), carbon management disclosure through carbon disclosure
products, corporate social responsibility rep orts, and eco-exhibitions (for custom ers), and clean developm ent mechanism s, such
as greenhouse gas re d u ctions in developing countries, energy efficient products supply, and clean environ m e n tal businesses.
The level of indire ct greenhouse gas em issions caused by electricity consum ption fro m products used at hom e is up to 95%
higher than those caused by m anufacturing. W e are therefore dedic a te d to th e p ro d u c tion of energy efficient electronic
appliances. Carbon labeling is an initiative led by the Ministry of Enviro n m en t w hereby greenhouse gas em issions generated
throughout a product’s life cycle are revealed to consum ers to encourage the purchase of low carbon products and re du ctions
in greenhouse gases. The M inistry carried out pilot certifications from Ju ly to D ecem ber of 2008, prior to the system ’s
full implem entation in 2009. As an active supporter of any and all efforts to reduce greenhouse gas em issions, we are
enthusiastically taking part in this pilot process.
ENVIRONMENT
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Solar charging phone & Bluetooth solar car kitPilot certificate of Carbon labeling (washing machine) Eco-design committee Eco Products Korea 2008
CTO _ Declaring the re d u ction of Greenhouse gas em issions in CES