LG introduces eco-conscious manufacturing innovations for its four-way commercial air conditioners

Renowned global testing and certification organization TÜV Rheinland recently confirmed that LG’s newly implemented manufacturing process has reduced emissions by 14.85 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent* per unit when manufacturing 4-way cassette air conditioners. In addition to the change in manufacturing method, the main driver of this was the replacement of the type of plastic used for the exterior panels of the units.

As part of the change, LG is replacing traditional plastic processing technologies with a foam injection molding process, which involves injecting nitrogen gas into the mold to create bubbles in the material. This innovative solution reduces plastic usage by approximately 900 grams per device. The change in plastic type means that LG has switched from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) to polypropylene (PP), which has a lower carbon footprint.

These developments are expected to reduce plastic usage by approximately 270 tons per year and carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by more than 4,400 tons. The latter is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed in a year by a 30-year-old pine forest covering an area of ​​more than 580 football fields.

LG began using foam injection molding technology in 4-way cassette air conditioners in June and plans to gradually expand it to other residential and commercial models.