LG Electronics has introduced a new material and manufacturing process for its commercial 4-way system air conditioners, aiming to reduce plastic consumption and carbon emissions.
Independent certification body TÜV Rheinland confirmed that LG’s revised production method has cut emissions from manufacturing the units to 14.85 kilograms of CO₂ equivalents per product. A key factor in the reduction is the replacement of conventional plastic panels with components made using polypropylene (PP), which carries a lower carbon footprint than acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).
The company has also adopted a foaming injection moulding process, where nitrogen gas is injected into the mould to create bubbles in the material. This reduces plastic use by around 900 grams per unit. LG estimates the changes will lower plastic consumption by 270 tonnes annually and cut emissions by more than 4,400 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents each year – a saving comparable to the annual carbon absorption of a 30-year-old pine forest spanning over 580 football pitches.
LG began applying the process to its 4-way system air conditioners in June and plans to expand its use to other models.
The company has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 54.6 per cent by 2030, compared with 2017 levels. Measures include installing high-efficiency equipment, adopting renewable energy in manufacturing, and rolling out appliances built with its proprietary Core Tech. This includes inverter motor technology that adjusts speeds in real time to cut energy waste, and the launch of an inverter scroll chiller using R32 refrigerant, which has about 30 per cent lower global warming potential than R410A.
“The new material and manufacturing process we’ve introduced for our 4-way system air conditioner underscored our efforts to minimising environmental impacts,” said Bae Cheung-hyun, head of the System Air Conditioners Business at LG ES Company. “LG will continue to leverage innovative technologies to develop eco-conscious air conditioners for a healthier planet.”
