LEGO aims to stop producing petroleum-based plastic bricks in line with its social responsibility project.
LEGO toys have been produced since 1963 in various sizes and shapes from ABS plastic – a substance with numerous benefits but with one big problem: ABS plastic is made from oil. LEGO has spent thousands of dollars over the years to find a suitable replacement.
Recently, the company has spent $150 million for researching on and producing efficient alternatives to ABS plastic as the base component of its toys. The goal is to build a strong and stable alternative for final production by 2030. However, this is harder than it seems since LEGO consumes a lot. Only over the last year, the company has spent 77 thousand tons of raw material to produce 60 billion pieces of different LEGO pieces.
Among other measures, LEGO decided to cancel its long-term (and lucrative) contract with Shell company. Without a doubt, finding a durable alternative to petroleum in the production of plastic can be a very big step in the industry and it can also transform the toy industry too. Of course, scientists have been looking for such an alternative for years, but they probably needed a stimulus as strong as a five-year-old kid’s scream for his her toy!