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The LEGO Group reveals first prototype brick made out of recycled plastic

The LEGO Group unveils the first prototypes made from recycled plastic

The LEGO Group’s new prototype uses PET plastic from discarded bottles and is the first brick made from recycled material

The LEGO group unveiled a prototype LEGO brick made from recycled plastic, the latest step in the company’s journey to making LEGO products from sustainable materials.

The new prototype, using PET plastic made from discarded bottles, is the first brick made from recycled material to meet the company’s strict quality and safety requirements.

A team of more than 150 employees works to find sustainable solutions for LEGO products. In the past three years, materials scientists and engineers have tested over 250 variations of PET materials and hundreds of other plastic formulations. The result is a prototype that meets several of your quality, safety, and clearance needs – including clutch performance.

Tim Brooks, Vice President of Environmental Responsibility for the LEGO Group, said, “We are very excited about this breakthrough. The biggest challenge on our sustainability journey is rethinking and innovating new materials that are as durable, strong and high quality as our existing bricks – and that match the LEGO elements of the past 60 years. With this prototype we can demonstrate our progress. “

It will be some time before bricks made from recycled materials appear in LEGO product boxes. The team will continue to test and develop the PET formulation and then see if it should move into the pilot production phase. This next test phase is expected to last at least a year.

Brooks said, “We know children care and want us to make our products more sustainable. While it will be a while before they can play with bricks made from recycled plastic, we want the kids to know that we are working on it and are taking them on the journey. Experimentation and failure is an important part of learning and innovation. Just as children build, dismantle and reassemble with LEGO bricks at home, we do the same in our laboratory. “

The prototype is made from recycled PET sourced from US suppliers who use processes approved by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to ensure quality. On average, a 1 liter PET plastic bottle provides enough raw material for ten 2 x 4 LEGO bricks.

The patent-pending material formulation increases the durability of PET to make it strong enough for LEGO bricks. The innovative process uses tailor-made compounding technology to combine the recycled PET with reinforcing additives.

The recycled prototype brick is the latest development to make the products of the LEGO Group more sustainable. In 2020, the company announced it would be removing single-use plastic from its boxes. In 2018 it started with the production of elements made from bio-polyethene (bio-PE), which is made from sustainably sourced sugar cane.

Many LEGO sets contain elements made of bio-PE, which are perfect for making smaller, softer parts such as trees, branches, leaves and accessories for minifigures. Bio-PE is currently unsuitable for making harder, stronger elements like the iconic LEGO bricks.

Brooks said, “We are committed to doing 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 through the play they inspire, but also through the materials we use. We still have a long way to go, but we are satisfied with the progress we are making. “

The LEGO Group’s focus on sustainable material innovation is just one of several initiatives the company has taken to make a positive impact. The LEGO Group will invest up to $ 400 million / £ 288 million over three years through 2022 to accelerate its sustainability goals.