As we celebrate Earth Day (tomorrow, 22 April), LG South Africa’s recycling partnership has seen nearly 200 tons of polystyrene – an amount equivalent to covering a rugby field in 2,7m of the waste material – recycled in Germiston, Gauteng.
This is a major milestone for the partnership between LG South Africa and recycling organisation Circular Energy, which has diverted almost 19 000 m³ of expanded polystyrene (EPS) from landfills since the launch of a new recycling machine in 2025.
The collaboration addresses the environmental challenge of polystyrene packaging, heating and compressing the material at the plant for reuse in high-end interior products, such as wall panelling and decorative mouldings.
Circular Energy manages a range of LG’s end-of-life products as well as its polystyrene waste under Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations.
EPS waste is lightweight and takes up large volumes of space per kilogram, making it difficult to recycle. When it ends up in landfills, the material takes upwards of 500 years to decompose.
Polystyrene still remains an unavoidable material in packaging due to its protective qualities and cost-effectiveness. To address the environmental challenges posed by the bare minimum use of this material, LG selected Circular Energy as their long term partner.
According to studies done by the United Nations and WWF, around 122 million tons of general solid waste is produced in South Africa every year. Only 10% is currently recycled. Until recently, EPS waste was not part of the 10%-figure.
But LG believes in creating technology that benefits both people and the planet. For LG, true progress requires collaboration, and that’s why they pursue sustainability-focused partnerships that are essential to responsible progress.
LG is now also launching its own logistics and technical setup services for premium products in Gauteng – furthering its direct involvement in the journey of its products from factory to customer.
The new offering aims to further streamline delivery and installation experiences for customers alongside third-party couriers to provide a seamless, expedited and full-house service.
By deploying certified LG technicians to handle everything from offloading to ThinQ app connectivity, the company is reducing the friction between purchase and product usage.