Samsung’s bio phone

Telling the world that your product is corny isn’t usually a recipe for success, but Samsung’s latest cell phone really is made of a bio-plastic based on corn extracts. Such plastics are nothing new — NEC has recently displayed a similar prototype — but the E200 Eco is actually going on sale in various parts of the world (not Japan, alas) next month.

Manufacture of the tri-band GSM handset has yielded quantifiable results in terms of saved carbon emissions. Compared with molding cases and other plastic parts created from an oil base, Samsung says the E200 saves 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of plastic made. Other new Samsung phones cut out lead, mercury and other heavy metals, which wins them plenty of respect in our book. (J Mark Lytle/Metropolis)

External Link:http://www.bit.ly/samsungcorn

4 Comments

roughneck at 10:34 AM JST - 8th September

going on sale in various parts of the world (not Japan, alas)

In that case, why do we care? Why it should be included in the news of JapanToday

Moderator: Because 70% of our readers live outside of Japan.
Azrael at 11:09 AM JST - 8th September

Based on corn extracts... That sounds like biofuels do/ use of food to feed the machines instead of people/ long-term unsustainable/ human un-friendly/ making my groceries bill higher every month. I don't think I would buy this product. Well, I just won't.
Betting at 12:14 PM JST - 8th September

I think I agree with you Azrael. This kind of product makes me wonder what really is "eco" all about? Is it about serious attempts to help our environment or just band-aid techniques to con the consumer into buying something that helps get companies profits back up?
1VOYX at 01:38 AM JST - 9th September

I once had a bio-pen when I was a kid. It was made of corn. It had a sweet smell to it, and, like most curious kids, I tasted it (licked it). It was sweet. Anyway, but after a month the pen turned all oily and my mom threw it out cuz the pen kept spewing out oil (I think it was decomposing by itself). So I guess that's why Samsung's using corn extract instead of 100% biodegradable corn product. Who would like to have an oily phone and then melts into nothing?