Samsung has just debuted a “world’s first” color e-paper display that relies on a bio-resin derived from phytoplankton – and it’s a big leap forward for sustainability.
As explained in the announcement, Samsung’s new 13-inch Color E-Paper display enclosure is made from 45% recycled plastic and 10% phytoplankton-based bioresin. That might not sound like much, but the design choice leads to a reduction in the amount of conventional petroleum-based plastic used to make the screen and, according to Samsung, an over 40% reduction in carbon emissions for the manufacturing process compared to traditional materials.
First launched as corporate signage – with the e-paper display being billed as a replacement for more traditional paper signage – this bio-resin housing hasn’t been announced for any other Samsung displays just yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t debut elsewhere later.
And in time, hopefully we can see a much larger percentage of the renewable material that makes up the plastic in Samsung (and others) technology.
What is bio-resin?
Bio-resin is a bioplastic that is not that new (the first one was made back in 1855), but continued research has improved the quality and manufacturing efficiency of bioplastics, meaning we may see them more often in consumer products.
It is designed to mimic the best qualities of ordinary petroleum-based plastics – such as the plastic’s strength and malleability – but not its worst properties.
Because bioplastics and bio-resins do not rely on petroleum – instead coming from renewable organic sources – there is no finite resource that can eventually run out, and if bioplastics and bio-resins manufactured products meet certain standards (such as consisting of predominantly biological material), the products can also be commercially compostable and biodegradable, further reducing their polluting impact.
Although it looks like Samsung’s new plankton-derived screen housing, you can expect petroleum plastic (even in a recycled form) to still be some capacity in many bioplastic products. After all, this is just a step forward towards more sustainable plastics from Samsung rather than a complete solution.
That said, the positive environmental impact of this change shouldn’t be ignored, and hopefully this Samsung e-ink display is the first of many to be made from plankton.
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