SK hynix to increase use of recycled materials to 30% by 2030

SK hynix unveils a mid- to long-term plan for use of recycled materials on Tuesday. (SK hynix)

SK hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, on Tuesday announced that it would increase its proportion of materials accounted for by recycled materials to over 30 percent by 2030.

The target, as part of the company’s carbon neutrality goal, is the first of its kind set by a semiconductor maker.

Under the plans, the company aims to first increase recycled material usage to 25 percent by 2025.

The company said the target is a part of its plans to implement its carbon neutrality goal, while establishing a circular economy system centered on resource recycling, which has become an important task for countries and companies around the globe.

According to the plans, the company will increase the use of recycled copper, tin and gold, and use more recycled plastic in packaging used to protect finished chip products.

SK hynix said metal materials are most effective when it comes to resource circulation, as they account for a large proportion of the weight of finished memory products and are difficult to replace with other materials.

The chipmaker has also strengthened certification procedures and quality evaluation for directly purchasing recycled materials and deciding whether to apply the materials included in the parts supplied by business partners after receiving and reviewing the quality evaluation.

Additionally, SK hynix plans to encourage its suppliers to join the efforts to obtain validation from publicly trusted external organizations, such as ISO 140213, to verify the use and proportion of recycled materials.

“As a company that takes environmental, social and governance management seriously, we intend to actively participate in the establishment of a global circular economy,” said Song Jun-ho, vice president and head of advanced quality and analysis at SK hynix.

“While implementing this road map, we will work together with all stakeholders in the semiconductor supply chain, including customers and suppliers, to achieve practical results," he added.