Lego to develop bricks made from recycled plastic bottles

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Danish toymaker Lego has unveiled plans to sell bricks made of PET plastics sourced from recycled drinks bottles within the next two years as part of its continued efforts towards sustainability.

This marks the culmination of a team of 150 engineers and scientists' ingenuity over three years to look for a viable alternative to the oil-based plastics the company currently uses to make its world-famous toys.

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The company tested over 250 variations of PET materials and hundreds of other plastic formulations over this period to find the right polymer for the job.

The result meets several of the toymaker's safety, quality and play requirements, Lego claims.

Lego bricks come in over 3,500 variants and one of the key aspects of the challenge was a product with a shelf life of years, perhaps decades.

The company estimates it needs between 18 to 24 months before these bricks appear in retail outlets, with the team continuing to refine the formula.

"We know kids care about the environment and want us to make our products more sustainable," said Tim Brooks, the Vice President of Environmental Responsibility at Lego. "Even though it will be a while before they will be able to play with bricks made from recycled plastic, we want to let kids know we’re working on it and bring them along on the journey with us."

"Experimentation and failing is an important part of learning and innovation. Just as kids build, unbuild and rebuild with Lego bricks at home, we’re doing the same in our lab," he added.

Lego bricks have been a staple of childhood memories for more than 60 years and the company is aiming to show that it is moving with the times.

Brooks did not specify how many types of blocks would be converted to their PET variants. However, he did add the two types should be interchangeable and fit together without issue.

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The PET used meets US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) standards and is primarily sourced from the US.

The company claims one plastic bottle can provide enough material for around ten 2 x 4 bricks.

This marks a continued trajectory towards sustainability for the Danish toymaker. In 2018, it began producing elements from bio-polyethylene and in 2020 vowed to remove single-use plastics from its boxes.

The Bio-PE polymers are perfect for making softer parts of lego sets - trees, branches, leaves, and various accessories.

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Brooks added: “We’re committed to playing our part in building a sustainable future for generations of children. We want our products to have a positive impact on the planet, not just with the play they inspire, but also with the materials we use.

"We still have a long way to go on our journey but are pleased with the progress we’re making.”

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