Lego Made of Plastic Bottles
Did you know that at least 380 million metric tons of plastic are produced globally every year? And Lego is responsible for about 100,000 metric tons of the plastic produced? Well, now you know. If you are a fan of Lego and its collections, or perhaps you enjoy playing https://nowe-kasyna.org/ games and love recycling, then read on.
Most Lego pieces are made of high-quality plastics called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS. This plastic is known for its rigidity and super strength. Besides, it provides a unique clutch power, which is best for making Lego pieces.
However, ABS plastics have their disadvantages. For starters, it is a non-biodegradable material, which means that they will be stuck on earth for a long time, even after we have gone. And this is a major concern on the damage these plastics will do to our environment. Therefore, after over 60 years of manufacturing unrecyclable blocking materials, Lego decided to make its products more sustainable.
Tim Brooks, the Vice President of Environmental Responsibility at the company, knows that children care for the environment. Hence, their decision of making Legos from plastic bottles. But it will take a while before they can play with these new bricks. At the same time, it will be worth it to bring them on this journey.
Lego recently unveiled its prototype Lego brick, which is crafted from recycled plastic, gotten from discarded plastic bottles. These materials were obtained from suppliers in the US who have met regulations and were approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the US Food and Drug Administration.
The prototype was the first-ever brick made from recycled plastic in the company that met its safety and quality requirements. Besides, the average one liter recycled plastic bottle is enough for making ten 2×4 bricks. Lego began its eco-friendly plan in 2015, which included shifting from single-use plastic wrappings to making alternative eco-friendly materials for the toys. In 2020, they started removing single-use plastic from their boxes. Moreover, in 2018, the company used sugarcane to produce bioplastic, which they used to make a new treehouse kit. This was available in a motorized wind turbine set in that same year and for the first time.
Despite those previous efforts, Lego has had to develop something rigid and robust, which led them to try out the discarded plastic bottles. The company’s researchers had a breakthrough after testing over 250 variations of these materials. They were able to find technology that turns the plastic waste into Lego bricks. The recycled prototype is one of their latest developments toward sustainability. According to the toymaker, they are busy experimenting on the material to ensure that it is not only safe to use, but also safe for the environment.
However, the company still needs to do further testing before they start the production process for these bricks. It might take at least one year before they begin the production. Other than that, Lego has made other steps to sustainability. For instance, it has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to help fight climate change. It has also invested in wind power, reducing its CO2 emissions, especially during the manufacturing and supplying of Lego bricks.
