Lego unveils rPET toy brick prototype

Global toy manufacturing firm Lego has unveiled prototype Lego bricks made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) from discarded bottles.

Lego developed this solution after testing more than 250 different variations of PET plastic. The bricks are subjected to further testing to ensure safety. The next phase of its development is expected to take at least a year.

The company in 2020 announced that it will invest up to $400mn over three years to accelerate its sustainability ambitions. Lego aims to make all its core products from sustainable materials by 2030 and all its packaging from renewable or recycled materials by 2025.

In 2018, Lego began producing toy bricks made from bio-polyethylene (bio-PE) that used sustainably sourced sugarcane. The bio-PE was used for softer elements of their toy sets such as branches, leaves and accessories for minifigures.

The rPET bricks will be more suitable for sturdier elements such as the toy bricks, according to the company. But it will take some time before they are available on the shelves of toy stores or on the display cabinets of enthusiasts.

By Matthew Rajendra