The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) named Samsung Electronics as the recipient of the association’s 2025 Design for Recycling (DFR) Award. Lauded as ReMA’s most prestigious honor, Samsung is being recognized specifically for its Galaxy S25, one of its latest flagship smartphone models.
“Through the design of its Galaxy S25, Samsung has proven to be a leader in integrating design for recycling principles into every phase of a product, from design to end of life,” said ReMA president Robin Wiener. “We rely on cellphones every day to provide unparalleled access to the world. Samsung Electronics’ success in incorporating a variety of recycled materials into the Galaxy S25 demonstrates their commitment to designing with recycling in mind, and serves as yet another example of how recycled materials are a part of so much of what we all depend on each day. Congratulations to Samsung Electronics on their award-winning device.”
The Samsung Galaxy S25 contains recycled plastic, aluminum, glass, steel, gold, copper and rare earth elements. Additionally, the device’s battery contains at least 50 percent certified recycled cobalt. The cobalt in the battery is extracted from used batteries Samsung collects through an established supply chain to ensure batteries are incorporated into new products. The packaging box for the Galaxy S25 is made with 100 percent recycled paper.
To be eligible for ReMA’s Design for Recycling Award, a product must be designed/redesigned and manufactured to:
- Contain the maximum amount of materials that are recyclable.
- Be easily recycled through current or newly designed recycling processes and procedures.
- Be cost effective to recycle, whereby the cost to recycle does not exceed the value of its recycled materials.
- Be free of hazardous materials that are not recyclable or impede the recycling process.
- Minimizes the time and cost involved to recycle the product.
- Reduce the use of raw materials by including recycled materials and/or components.
- Have a net gain in the overall recyclability of the product while reducing the overall negative impact on the environment.
Publihed May 2025
