Greenpeace has targeted Samsung with protests at the Mobile World Congress over smartphone recycling. Picture: Greenpeace

Before the event even began, Greenpeace protesters scaled Samsung’s Barcelona venue to hang an 8m banner with the message, “Reuse, recycle, rethink”.

But one protester later managed to stand on the stage during its delayed event, holding a recycling sign, interrupting the company’s announcements.

In a blog post, Greenpeace Spain explained the protest was in response to Samsung’s lack of commitment to recycle millions of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones recalled last year after a series of fires due to faulty batteries.

“Samsung has yet to share a clear plan on how it will manage the 4.3 million phones it has withdrawn,” Greenpeace wrote in Spanish.

“If Samsung is serious and wants to ensure that this does not happen again, it must lead the industry and evolve into a system that allows phones to be easily repaired, reused and recycled.”

Greenpeace protesters have disrupteda major Samsung press conference at tech event Mobile World Congress. Picture: GreenpeaceSource:Supplied

Perhaps ironically, Samsung Electronics Europe senior vice-president David Lowes had been detailing lessons the smartphone maker had learned from Note 7 recalls when he was forced to walk across the stage and usher the protester away with the words, “I think you’ve made your point.”

Mr Lowes said Samsung would institute an eight-point battery check and battery advisory committee to avoid a repeat of the Note 7 failures.

“The past six months has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging periods in our history,” he said. “We did not meet the high standards we set for ourselves.”

Samsung revealed tablet computers at Mobile World Congress this year, though the South Korean tech giant is expected to reveal a new flagship phone towards the end of March.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson travelled to Barcelona as a guest of Sony Mobile.