2018 sees the first sustainable LEGO® tumble into the parlor
LEGO® elements such as leaves, bushes and trees will soon be produced from plant-based plastic. Production of a range of "botanical" LEGO elements in different variants has already begun. Likewise, Lego is also revolving around other sustainable elements such as the typical packaging of the popular children's game.
The introduction of LEGO® bricks made from sugar cane is part of the LEGO Group's commitment to using sustainable materials for core products and packaging by 2030. Learn more about the LEGO Group's mission here: http://ots.de/4n6mDA
The new, sustainable LEGO elements are made of polyethylene, a soft, durable and flexible plastic based on sugar cane. Technically, they are identical to LEGO elements made from conventional plastic. The elements have been tested to ensure that the plant-based plastic meets the high quality and safety standards that the LEGO Group itself has and that consumers have come to expect from LEGO products.
Uncompromising quality and safety
"Playing with LEGO products represents high-quality play experiences that allow every child to create their own world with imagination. Children and parents won't notice any difference in the quality or appearance of the new elements because plant-based polyethylene has the same properties as conventional polyethylene," says Tim Brooks, Senior Director for Environmental Sustainability at Lego.
The unique LEGO design and the LEGO Group's uncompromising focus on quality and safety over the past six decades ensure that two LEGO bricks made 60 years apart still fit together today. While working towards the use of sustainable materials in core products and packaging, the LEGO Group remains true to its uncompromising commitment to high product quality and safety.
Building the future of our children brick by brick
To support and encourage demand for sustainably produced plastic, the LEGO Group is working with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). In doing so, it is part of the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA), a WWF initiative to ensure the sustainable sourcing of raw materials for the bioplastics industry. The plant-based plastics used to make LEGO botanical elements are certified to the Bonsucro chain of custody standard for responsibly sourced sugar cane. Learn more here: http://www.bonsucro.com/chain-custody-standard/
"It's important that companies in every industry find ways to source their product materials responsibly and help ensure a future where people, nature and the economy thrive," said Alix Grabowski, a senior program officer at WWF. "The LEGO Group's decision to rely on sustainably sourced bioplastics represents an incredible opportunity to reduce dependence on finite resources. Working with the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance allows the LEGO Group to continue to think creatively about sustainability with other companies."
The new spot for the Lego building blocks made of "sugar cane":
About LEGO elements from plants
- Polyethylene elements represent 1-2 percent of the total amount of plastic elements produced by the LEGO Group. The sustainable product range, which is made exclusively from plant-based plastics, currently includes botanical LEGO® elements such as leaves, bushes and trees.
- The plant-based polyethylenes used for LEGO elements are made with ethanol derived from sugar cane.
- The sugarcane used is sustainably produced according to Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA) guidelines and is certified to the Bonsucro chain of custody standard for responsibly sourced sugarcane.
- All suppliers must comply with the LEGO Group Code of Conduct. This is based on strict global requirements and guidelines for ethical, environmental, health and safety standards.
- The LEGO Group works closely with its suppliers to ensure that life cycle assessments are used to assess the environmental impact of the production of biobased materials.
What are sustainable materials?
There is no common definition for sustainable materials. Several aspects influence the sustainability of a material. This is determined to a high degree by the source, the chemical composition, the use (in a product), the recycling (at the end of the life cycle) and the impact the material may have on both the environment and society.
The LEGO Group believes that a new, sustainable material must always have a smaller environmental and social footprint than the material it replaces. For example, in the use of fossil resources, human rights and climate change.
About sustainability at the LEGO Group
- The LEGO Group is cooperating with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) as part of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in production and the supply chain and to promote global action against climate change.
- By investing in wind power, the energy used to manufacture LEGO bricks is offset by renewable energy generation.
- The LEGO Group plans to reduce production waste to zero by 2030. To reduce plastic waste going to landfills, the Group has already introduced sustainable paper pulp trays for the LEGO Advent Calendar.
