Almost every ’90s kid has played with LEGO toys in their childhood. This year, Lego has developed its popular toys to make them more environmentally friendly for the next generation. Owned by a Danish family, The LEGO Group is known for its interlocking plastic building blocks. The Denmark-based company decided to act sustainably by using eco-friendly materials to produce its new collection of sustainable lego toys which will be made of plant-based plastics. Promoting sustainability, the first collection for sustainable lego toys is comprised of “botanical elements” like trees and bushes, which will be released later this year. Replacing the former oil-based plastics, the new pieces contain only 1 to 2 percent of polyethylene. Lego’s plan is that all their toys would be produced from only sustainable materials by 2030. They assure us that the new sustainable lego toys will still maintain quality as well as feel and look the same. This is because the sugarcane material is broken down into polyethylene which acts as a flexible, plant-based, and recyclable plastic. Ethically sourced, the sugarcane used for the sustainable LEGO toys is manufactured according to the guidelines set by the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA) and the Bonsucro Chain of Custody. Senior Director for Environmental Sustainability at LEGO, Tim Brooks says: “At the LEGO Group we want to make a positive impact on the world around us, and are working hard to make great play products for children using sustainable materials. We are proud that the first LEGO elements made from sustainably sourced plastic are in production and will be in LEGO-boxes this year.” “This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment to making all LEGO bricks using sustainable materials,” adds the Vice President. LEGO has a previous history of acting sustainably as it has invested 165 million dollars before in the Sustainable Materials Centre to research and implement sustainable alternatives to its current products. The LEGO Group has also partnered with the World Wildlife Fund [WWF] to aid in reducing carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. Lego advises people to donate their old lego toys cluttering their house and recycle them.
