LEGO has announced a new range of sustainable, plant-based plastic toy building bricks to be released this year. The new LEGO bushes, trees, and leaves will be made from sugarcane and are part of the company’s move to use sustainable materials by 2030.
The new building bricks have been tested, ensuring that the plant-based plastic, polyethylene, is both safe and of high quality. The new products are certified by the Bonsucro Chain of Custody standard for responsibly sourced sugarcane. “Children and parents will not notice any difference in the quality or appearance of the new elements, because plant-based polyethylene has the same properties as conventional polyethylene,” Tim Brooks, LEGO’s Vice President of Environmental Responsibility, explained in a statement.
“At the LEGO Group we want to make a positive impact on the world around us,” Brooks said. “[We] 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 of making all LEGO bricks using sustainable materials.”
In support of the demand for more sustainably sourced plastic around the world, LEGO has both partnered with World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and joined the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA). “It is essential that companies in each industry find ways to responsibly source their product materials and help ensure a future where people, nature, and the economy thrive,” senior program officer at WWF, Alix Grabowski, said in a statement.
Across the globe, the world is waking up to the dangers of relying on plastic. Disposable straws are set to be banned across England this year, after being described as “lethal” by the Environmental Secretary. Taiwan has also taken recent action, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) for the country stated that single-use plastics will no longer be in use in the country by 2030.
Image Credit: LEGO | LEGO Instagram
