Lego has announced that it will source half of the plastic used to make its signature bricks from renewable or recycled materials by 2026, the Guardian reported.
Most modern plastics are derived from dirty fuel sources, including oil and natural gas. Lego is looking to meet its goal by relying on other ingredients like cooking oil, food industry waste fat, and recycled materials. It's already tested more than 600 alternative materials and aims to rely entirely on renewable and recycled plastic by 2032.
Lego CEO Niels Christiansen told the Guardian his company is trying to "push the industry to develop" and "shift the supply chain" by increasing demand.
According to the Center for International Environmental Law, 99% of all plastics are made from dirty fuels, which are the leading contributor to the overheating of our planet. And Beyond Plastics predicts that the plastics industry will contribute more to rising global temperatures than coal-fired power in the U.S. by 2030.
That means that a shift away from these dirty fuels in plastics production could help us reach our climate goals in the future. However, Ensia notes that biobased plastics don't necessarily solve the plastic waste problem unless they are also biodegradable.
That's why it's also important to focus on reducing plastic waste, which can kill marine wildlife, damage soil, poison groundwater, and cause serious health impacts, according to the United Nations.
To that end, several companies are looking to reduce the amount of plastic pollution they produce. For instance, Heinz is testing ketchup bottles made from wood pulp in lieu of plastic. Elsewhere, Coors Light ditched the plastic rings on its six packs, which will cut down on plastic waste by 1.7 million pounds a year.
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Lego also has a brick takeback program where customers can donate their old bricks to the company with free shipping. According to the Guardian, the company is expanding the program into the U.K. and is testing similar models in the U.S. and Europe.
You can help out with plastic waste by taking simple actions, like ditching plastic shopping bags and investing in reusable storage containers. You can also vote with your wallet by supporting companies that are greening up their act.
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