Lego unveils prototype brick made from recycled PET plastic

Danish construction toy producer Lego Group has unveiled a prototype brick made from recycled plastic, taking another step towards its goal to manufacture all of its products from sustainable materials by 2030.

The prototype, which uses PET plastic from discarded bottles, is the first brick made from recycled material to meet several of the company’s quality and safety requirements, according to a press release from Lego. On average, a one-liter plastic PET bottle provides enough raw material for ten 2 x 4 Lego bricks (8 x 0.2mm).

It will be some time before Lego bricks made from recycled material are available for purchase

The company said, however, that it will be some time before bricks made from recycled material are available for purchase. Testing and development will continue before an assessment is made whether to move to the pilot production stage, Lego said, adding that the next phase of testing is expected to take at least a year.

The PET used to produce the prototype is sourced from suppliers in the US that use US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved processes to ensure quality, according to the press release.

Lego’s ambition is to make bricks from materials that are responsibly produced

Lego said its ambition is to make bricks from materials that are responsibly produced, using renewable or recycled resources, which generate little or no waste and are fully recyclable, while meeting the company’s standards for safety, quality, and durability.

Lego also recalled it plans to invest up to USD 400 million over three years in various sustainability initiatives, including in phasing out single use plastic in all its product boxes by 2025.