What if a used smartphone might develop into a part of a brand-new machine?
Beforehand confined to the creativeness, this concept is now a actuality with Samsung Electronics’ Round Battery Provide Chain — an initiative that recovers and reuses key supplies from the batteries of used Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy S25 marks the primary time this closed-loop battery recycling system has been utilized to Samsung’s flagship lineup.
Samsung Newsroom spoke with Youngmin Kim from the Round Financial system Lab within the World Atmosphere, Well being and Security (EHS) Workplace and Sangcheul Lee from the Battery Group within the Cell eXperience (MX) Enterprise at Samsung Electronics to be taught extra concerning the growth and influence of this challenge.
▲ (From left) Sangcheul Lee and Youngmin Kim
Used Galaxy Gadgets Reborn as Useful Assets
Annually, roughly 200 tons of waste battery materials have been collected at Samsung’s manufacturing amenities in Vietnam. Nations with correct recycling infrastructure can repurpose used batteries for purposes like electrical car batteries. Vietnam, nonetheless, lacked the means to take action. Recognizing the necessity for a sustainable answer, the corporate determined to deal with the difficulty.
“Samsung’s Vietnam amenities are amongst people who generate the very best quantity of waste batteries, together with faulty items from the manufacturing course of and batteries recovered from a manufacturing unit that repairs Galaxy telephones traded in from the USA,” stated Youngmin Kim. “Our aim was to create a system that will enable us to recycle these sources and reintegrate them into our merchandise.”
▲ Youngmin Kim explains the Round Battery Provide Chain whereas showcasing cobalt and cathode supplies.
To develop an environment friendly recycling course of for Vietnam’s waste batteries, Samsung partnered with a number of firms to construct an optimized useful resource circularity system that related cobalt extraction vegetation with battery manufacturing strains in neighboring nations.
“For the Galaxy S24 collection, we sourced recycled cobalt externally,” he defined. “Nonetheless, with the Galaxy S25, we carried out a completely closed-loop recycling system that extracts cobalt immediately from discarded Galaxy batteries.”
The collected waste batteries are processed into high-purity cobalt, then shipped to the battery manufacturing line the place it’s built-in into Galaxy S25 batteries. This course of transforms digital waste from used Galaxy units right into a precious useful resource, supporting Samsung’s imaginative and prescient for a sustainable round financial system.
▲ Samsung’s Round Battery Provide Chain in motion
Extra particularly, the Round Battery Provide Chain begins with gathering used Galaxy smartphones, adopted by dismantling and discharging their batteries. These batteries are then shredded and processed right into a wonderful powder generally known as “black mass.” This materials is subsequently refined to extract cobalt — which is used to supply cathode supplies, a key part of the Galaxy S25 battery.
The Countless Recyclability of Cobalt
Cobalt is important for sustaining the steadiness and efficiency of lithium-ion batteries in smartphones. Whereas lithium carries electrons inside the battery, cobalt facilitates lithium’s motion to make sure optimum battery operation.
▲ Cobalt ore samples
“Cobalt doesn’t degrade with battery use, which means it may well theoretically be recycled indefinitely,” stated Lee. “Recycled cobalt and newly mined cobalt are nearly similar — a lot in order that the distinction is indistinguishable within the manufacturing course of.”
In essence, Galaxy units containing cobalt may be recycled and repurposed no matter their manufacturing date.
▲ Samsung’s Round Battery Provide Chain on show at Cell World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona
“The important thing to extracting high-purity cobalt lies in expertise,” stated Kim. “Via our Round Battery Provide Chain, we’ve efficiently recovered and utilized over 90% of the cobalt from the discarded batteries which were collected.”
Half of the cobalt used within the Galaxy S25 batteries comes from recycled sources — a robust testomony to Samsung’s environmental technique and dedication to lowering its environmental influence whereas sustaining premium product high quality.
The Highway to a Dependable and Environment friendly Round Provide Chain
Nonetheless, establishing the Round Battery Provide Chain was no straightforward feat because the batteries have been required to satisfy stringent world security and environmental laws.
▲ Sangcheul Lee explains the certification administration course of.
“We needed to interact with quite a few companion firms, navigating complicated and rigorous procedures,” recalled Lee. “To stop hearth hazards throughout transport, the batteries needed to be crushed and acquiring the mandatory certifications to adjust to related environmental laws took appreciable time.”
“With consistently evolving laws and Samsung’s exceptionally excessive inner requirements, we underwent a number of rounds of critiques and certifications,” he added. “Regardless of the challenges, we endured as a group and efficiently carried out the system within the Galaxy S25.”
Samsung’s Evolving Imaginative and prescient for a Round Financial system
“I felt a fantastic sense of satisfaction when our Round Battery Provide Chain was showcased on the current Galaxy Unpacked occasion,” stated Lee, reflecting on the achievement. “I hope to proceed creating sustainable batteries by increasing our recycling efforts to incorporate lithium and different supplies.”
“With the Galaxy S25, we’ve additionally reached one other vital milestone in useful resource circularity — wafer trays discarded after semiconductor manufacturing have been repurposed right into a plastic used within the aspect and quantity keys,” shared Kim. “We’re engaged on varied tasks to increase useful resource circularity throughout different product strains as nicely, and we hope our customers will proceed to hitch us on our journey.”
Samsung has efficiently established a closed-loop battery recycling system by the Round Battery Provide Chain — turning a imaginative and prescient launched beneath its 2022 environmental technique into actuality with the Galaxy S25. This milestone has sparked rising anticipation for the following improvements that can emerge from Samsung’s pursuit of a extra sustainable future.