Samsung Electronics promises to reuse more wastewater

Samsung Electronics plans to reuse treated wastewater at its chip plants in Korea as part of an effort to reduce its impact on the environment.

Samsung Electronics President Kye Hyun Kyung, fifth from right, poses with representatives of the Environment Ministry and Korea Water Resources Corporation and city mayors on Wednesday at the company's chip factory in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics plans to reuse treated wastewater at its chip plants in Korea as part of an effort to reduce its impact on the environment.

The electronics maker signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday with the Korean Ministry of Environment, five cities in Gyeonggi, the Korea Water Resources Corporation and Korea Environment Corporation to reuse wastewater.

The five cities are Suwon, Yongin, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek and Osan, where Samsung Electronics runs its chip factories.

The amount of water supplied through the agreement is expected to be about 474,000 tons a day, or 173 million tons annually, according to the company in a statement.

“Using reclaimed wastewater from treatment facilities in an industry that requires ultra-pure water is a huge paradigm shift,” said Kye Hyun Kyung, president and CEO of the Samsung Electronics Device Solutions Division. “Samsung will continue to work on innovative wastewater reuse technologies and collaborate with local authorities to protect our water resources.”

Samsung Electronics promised to maintain the current level of water taken from ground or surface water sources through 2030, although the chip production site will require twice the water by 2030 due to planned expansion of production capacity.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]