UN experts raise concerns over chemical safety at Samsung's Vietnam plant

A former environmental safety officer alleged workers at Samsung's Bac Ninh factory in Vietnam were exposed to hazardous chemicals; the site employed about 16,000 workers and made roughly 100 million smartphones a year. Samsung denies the claims, but in January 2026 UN human rights experts raised concerns about chemical management and pollution in Vietnam.

• Bac Ninh plant: about 16,000 workers and up to 100 million phones a year
• Samsung says it strictly complies with environmental and safety laws
• In January 2026 UN experts raised workers' right-to-health concerns
• ILO and WHO link chemical exposure to cancer and respiratory disease