LEGO Unveils First Brick Prototype Made from Recycled Plastic –Watch Their ‘Clutch Strength’ and Smash Testing

LEGO recently announced that they now have a brick prototype made from recycled plastic that meets the company’s standards for the iconic construction toy.

The new prototype uses PET plastic from discarded bottles, but meets all of the company’s strict quality and safety requirements.

A team of more than 150 scientists and engineers is working to find sustainable solutions for LEGO products. Over the past three years, they have tested over 250 variations of PET materials and hundreds of other formulations. The result is a brick that meets various play requirements, including clutch power. (Check out the video below showing your test fun.)

“We are very excited about this development,” says LEGO Vice President for Environmental Responsibility Tim Brooks. “The biggest challenge on our sustainability journey is rethinking and innovating new materials that are as durable, strong and high-quality as our existing bricks, and that fit with the LEGO elements manufactured over the last 60 years.”

However, it will take some time before bricks made from a recycled material appear in stores. The next phase of testing is expected to take at least a year, but they have a patent pending on a formulation of the material that “increases the durability of PET to make it strong enough for LEGO bricks.”

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“Although it will be a while before they can play with bricks made from recycled plastic, we want the children to know that we are working on it and to accompany them on the journey.” Brooks says. “Experimenting and failing is an important part of learning and innovation. Just as children build, undo and rebuild with LEGO bricks at home, we do the same in our laboratory. “

The prototype is made of Recycled PET of origin from suppliers in the United States using processes approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority to ensure quality. On average, a one liter PET plastic bottle provides enough raw material for ten small LEGO bricks.

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In 2020, the company announced that it will begin removing single-use plastic from its boxes. And the company said it will invest up to $ 400 million over three years through 2022 to accelerate its sustainability ambitions.

LOOK how they are transforming plastic waste …

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