Every year LEGO uses 6,000 tons of plastics to create their famous build sets.
Looking to evolve, the company announced today they have been researching more sustainable materials for their products and packaging that will allow kids to play with sacrificing the environment.
“Our mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. We believe that our main contribution to this is through the creative play experiences we provide to children,” Lego Group owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen said in a statement. “The investment announced is a testament to our continued ambition to leave a positive impact on the planet, which future generations will inherit.”
Since 1963 the Danish company has been using a strong, resilient plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) to produce the products. The new material, they say, will have to match or exceed the quality or safety standards set by the LEGO Group and expected by parents. To find, create and test new sustainable materials LEGO will invest more than $150 million to establish a Lego Sustainable Materials Centre where they will employ 100 specialists within the materials field.
“There is no common definition of a sustainable material. Several factors influence the environmental sustainability of a material – the composition of the material, how it is sourced and what happens when the product reaches the end of its life. When we search for new materials all of these factors must be considered,” says Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, adding:
“What we announce today is a long-term investment and a dedication to ensuring the continued research and development of new materials that will enable us to continue to deliver great, high-quality creative play experiences in the future, while caring for the environment and future generations. It is a daunting and exciting challenge.”
