I am very impressed with this new development about Lego making toys from sustainable materials. As they say, change is the only constant thing in life and Lego is taking a step to make this change which will affect us and the environment in a positive way. Lego toys have been around for so many decades and have impacted us positively.
Lego time – busy hands!
Apart from Beyblades, Lego toys can keep kids away from the screen. At least for a while… Do you agree?
From my experience, Lego bricks keep my kids busy. They love building trains, towers, helicopters, making beyblades out of Lego pieces and so much more. Here are examples of Lego pieces they put together.
Lego bricks can be found in many homes and the toys help in children’s development including promoting fine motor skills, team work, communication skills, improving self esteem and planning skills.
What are the new Lego toys going to be made from?
Well, you see, the Lego pieces will be manufactured from plant based polyethylene which is a plastic derived from ethanol produced from sugarcane. According to Lego, production has commenced and the new Lego toys will come in different forms including trees, bushes and leaves. Although the new pieces are going to be soft and flexible – yet durable, they will still be able to fit into the old pieces, as Lego plans to release these new toys into the market this year 2018.
Lego says No to Landfill !
“We are proud that the first LEGO elements made from sustainably sourced plastic are in production and will be in LEGO boxes this year,” said Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group.
Although majority of their packaging can be recycled, Lego group wants to ensure that their products do not end up in landfill this is why they intend to use sustainable materials for their toys and packaging and have set year 2030 as their target to achieve this.
“Quality” and “Safety”
Now we may be wondering at this point if the new Lego pieces will be any different and if our kids would enjoy playing with them. Am I right?
I am not surprised if we feel this way but Lego has stated that nothing will change and the same quality experiences will still be derived from playing with the new toys made from sustainable materials.
The toys are also going to be very similar to the Lego products we are used to and have been tested for safety and quality. Infact, Lego has also stated that children, likewise parents will not even notice any difference in the new toys since the traditional polyethylene and that of the plant based have similar properties. The design of the new Lego bricks is designed with the notion that Lego bricks manufactured many years ago can still fit into the new bricks. In other words, quality and safety are Lego’s middle names!
Partnering with not for profit and BFA
In order to build the demand for plastic sourced in a sustainable manner, the Lego group partnered with WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and has also joined BFA (Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance). The BFA helps guide the careful selection of biomaterials so as to encourage the flow of materials in a sustainable way thereby creating value that will last for us and future generations. The BFA is focused on increasing awareness about sources of feedstocks for biobased plastics.
Apart from the Lego group, other members of the BFA include McDonald’s Corporation and Ford Motor Company to mention a few.
Conclusion
Making use of bioplastics sourced in a sustainable manner is a great way to minimize dependence on limited resources. Hopefully more companies can follow in Lego Group’s footsteps and manufacture products in a sustainable and responsible way.
Do you think Lego is heading in the right direction with their sustainability goal? Leave your comments below.
Wow plant-based plastic. I never knew that was possible. But, I guess you learn something new every day.
What do you think about the quality of the legos made from plant-based plastic? Will it be of the same quality? Hopefully, they don’t break easily. Legos right now are of really good quality, though.
When is the date when the change is going to take place? I am kind of excited to see them. My nephews love them and we have spent hours playing with legos over the years.
Hi Garen, I’m glad you learnt something new from this post. I personally feel plant – based lego bricks are better and safer for kids. The Lego group company has also stated that the quality will be the same as the ‘traditional’ lego bricks. As for the date the bricks will be released, we have to wait for now since Lego has stated that they will be released this year. Thanks for leaving a comment.