Lego's Sustainable Innovation: Unveiling Next-Gen Bricks Made from Cutting-Edge Recycled Materials
Lego cancels plans to produce bricks from recycled plastic bottles, citing concerns over potential pollution from the manufacturing process compared to current oil-based production
Lego has decided to abandon its plans of producing its iconic bricks from recycled plastic bottles. The company stated that the manufacturing process of using recycled materials would be more environmentally harmful compared to the current production of oil-based bricks. This decision was initially reported by the Financial Times on Sunday. Lego had previously conducted extensive testing of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a potential eco-friendly substitute for the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) used in most of its toys.
The toymaker has committed to exclusively using sustainable materials in their products by 2032. Two years ago, they introduced a prototype brick made from recycled PET, sourced from water or soda bottles. However, Lego has recently discovered that producing bricks from recycled material would necessitate purchasing new equipment and including additional steps, resulting in more pollution that contributes to global warming than the current practice, according to a spokesperson from the company speaking to CNN on Monday.
Legos move underscores the challenge companies face in trying to adapt their products and processes in response to the climate crisis.
Lego Campus, the office for Lego employees, in the Danish town of Billund, seen in September 2020
Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images
"We have determined that after over three years of testing, we will no longer pursue the production of bricks using recycled PET. This decision was made due to the material's failure to effectively reduce carbon emissions," stated the spokesperson.
Furthermore, the testing revealed that the durability and safety of the recycled plastic were inferior to those of ABS. Additionally, the recycled plastic lacked the necessary "clutch power" required for bricks to effortlessly adhere and detach from one another," the spokesperson elaborated.
However, Lego is steadfast in its commitment to develop oil-free bricks and remains fully dedicated to manufacturing Lego bricks using sustainable materials by the year 2032. The spokesperson stated that recycled PET is merely one among numerous materials that the company has explored as a possible substitute for ABS.
The testing is part of Legos efforts to reduce its carbon emissions by 37% by 2032 compared with 2019 levels.
