Lego to use bio-based plastics in its toy blocks

Toy construction block maker Lego is replacing ABS with sugar cane-based polyethylene in part of the toy sets it manufactures.

In a statement, the Danish toymaker said that production has started on a range of sustainable Lego elements made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane. The new sustainable Lego ‘botanical’ elements will come in varieties including leaves, bushes, and trees.

“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,” said Tim Brooks, vice president, environmental responsibility at the Lego. “This is a great first step in our ambitious commitment of making all Lego bricks using sustainable materials.”

Bio-based Lego products. Image Credit: Lego

The new sustainable Lego elements are made from polyethylene, Brooks said, and while they are based on sugar-cane material, they are technically identical to those produced using conventional plastic. “The elements have been tested to ensure the plant-based plastic meets the high standards for quality and safety that the Lego Group has, and consumers expect from Lego products,” he said.

Lego botanical elements such as leaves, bushes and trees will be made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane in the future and will appear in Lego boxes already in 2018.

Lego has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to support and build demand for sustainably sourced plastic, and has joined the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance, an initiative of WWF, to secure fully sustainable sourcing of raw material for the bioplastics industry.