Lego's Plastic Production: Environmental Impact And Alternatives

Lego produces 100,000 metric tons of plastic each year, which is used to make 60-110 billion bricks. The company uses 20 different kinds of plastic to make its bricks, tires and mini-figures, and as many as 80% of Lego pieces consist of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, or ABS, a petroleum-based substance. Lego has faced criticism for its environmental impact, but it has also been praised for its efforts to decarbonise and invest in sustainability.

Lego produces 100,000 metric tons of plastic annually

Lego has been making efforts to improve its sustainability, with the company investing $155 million in 2015 to establish a Sustainable Materials Centre. By the end of 2018, under 2% of Lego bricks were using a new type of polyethylene, which is used for bushes, trees, brushes in car washes and street sweepers, and dragon wings. Lego's sustainability story is a cautionary tale for businesses and customers alike in the move away from plastic. Lego makes approximately 60 billion bricks per year, and some of its largest sets would require over 30 kilograms of petrochemical equivalent to produce.

Lego uses 20 different kinds of plastic

Lego has been working to improve its sustainability. In 2015, the company invested $155 million to establish a Sustainable Materials Centre. By the end of 2018, under 2% of Lego bricks were using a new type of polyethylene. Lego's environmental issues with plastics go back a long way, however. In 1997, a ship accident off the UK coast led to 62 containers (some with nearly 5 million Lego pieces) falling into the sea. Every tonne of Lego produced uses approximately 2 tonnes of petrochemicals in the manufacturing process.

Lego's sustainability efforts

However, Lego can be considered "quite credible" in its efforts to decarbonise, according to Paolo Taticchi, a corporate sustainability expert at University College London. This is because the company has invested so much in this endeavour. For instance, in 2015, Lego put down $155 million to establish a Sustainable Materials Centre. By the end of 2018, under two per cent of Lego bricks were using a new type of polyethylene plastic, which is more sustainable than the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) used in 80 per cent of Lego pieces.

Lego makes more than 3,700 individual elements and uses 20 different kinds of plastic to make those bricks, tires, and mini-figure accessories. Every tonne of Lego produced uses approximately two tonnes of petrochemicals in the manufacturing process, and Lego makes approximately 60 billion bricks per year. This means that some of Lego's largest sets would require over 30 kilograms of petrochemical equivalent to produce.

Lego's sustainability story is a cautionary tale for businesses and customers alike in the move away from plastic.

Lego's plastic output compared to global production

Lego produces 100,000 metric tons of plastic each year, which is 0.026% of the 380 million metric tons of plastic produced globally. Lego makes 60 billion bricks per year, with some estimates putting this number at 110 billion. This means that Lego is responsible for a significant amount of plastic production, despite only producing a small fraction of the global total.

Lego's plastic output is a cause for concern due to the environmental impact of plastic production and the company's history of sustainability struggles. Lego uses approximately 2 tonnes of petrochemicals for every tonne of Lego produced, and 80% of Lego pieces consist of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), a petroleum-based substance.

Lego has made efforts to improve its sustainability, such as investing $155 million to establish a Sustainable Materials Center in 2015. However, the company's top line has not suffered despite these sustainability struggles, and global plastic production is projected to double in the next 20 years. This highlights the challenge of balancing business interests with environmental concerns.

Lego's plastic output compared to other companies

Lego produces 100,000 metric tons of plastic per year, which is a small fraction of the 380 million metric tons of plastic produced worldwide. However, Lego's plastic output is still significant, as it is used to make 60-110 billion bricks per year. Lego's bricks are made from 20 different kinds of plastic, with 80% consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), a petroleum-based substance.

In comparison, other companies that produce plastic products include Coca-Cola, which was found to be the world's largest plastic polluter in 2022, and Nestle, which was the third-largest plastic polluter. While the exact amount of plastic produced by these companies is not readily available, it is worth noting that Lego has been recognised for its efforts to decarbonise and invest in sustainable practices. For example, in 2015, Lego established a Sustainable Materials Center with a $155 million investment. Additionally, Lego has introduced new polyethylene elements, with the goal of having under 2% of Lego bricks using this sustainable plastic by the end of 2018.

Overall, while Lego's plastic output may seem small in comparison to the global plastic production, the company is actively working towards reducing its environmental impact and transitioning to more sustainable practices.

Frequently asked questions