We're all familiar with the joy of building cars, castles, space ships and even entire cities with LEGO and the key to this household name's success - and the reason why stepping on a rogue two-bit hidden in your shag pile is so agonising - is in its robust makeup.
Image credit: LEGO (via the Newsroom http://www.lego.com/en-gb/aboutus/news-room/2015/june/sustainable-materials-centre)
LEGO
ABS allows LEGO bricks to be slotted together seamlessly and accurately, but the material is not the most sustainable in the plastics processing marketplace. Therefore the LEGO Group has founded the LEGO Sustainable Materials Centre, which expects to recruit some 100 employees in its plans to find sustainable alternatives to ABS by 2030.
On June 16th, LEGO bosses announced it would be sinking DKK 1 billion (£96.7 million, €134 million) into its scheme to research sustainable raw materials to manufacture LEGO bricks, as well as finding green packaging alternatives.
CEO and President of the LEGO Group Jørgen Vig Knudstorp said: "This is a major step for the LEGO Group on our way towards achieving our 2030 ambition on sustainable materials. We have already taken important steps to reduce our carbon footprint and leave a positive impact on the planet by reducing the packaging size, by introducing FSC certified packaging and through our investment in an offshore wind farm. Now we are accelerating our focus on materials."
The establishment of the LEGO Sustainable Materials Centre, based in LEGO's headquarters in Billund, Denmark, will be carried out over the coming year and will include satellite operations around the world, bringing in the knowledge of partners and stakeholders.
Group Owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen explained: "Our mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. We believe that our main contribution to this is through the creative play experiences we provide to children. The investment announced is a testament to our continued ambition to leave a positive impact on the planet, which future generations will inherit. It is certainly in line with the mission of the LEGO Group and in line with the motto of my grandfather and founder of the LEGO Group, Ole Kirk Kristiansen: 'Only the best is good enough'."
The decision to make this significant investment was made at a recent meeting of LEGO top brass in May 2015 and the company is setting itself the very real challenge of finding an alternative to ABS that will do the job without compromising on the LEGO play experience.
"The testing and research we have already done has given us greater visibility of the challenges we face to succeed on this agenda and we respond by adding significant resources in order to be ready to move into the next phase of finding and implementing the sustainable materials," said Knudstorp. "I am truly excited by the full commitment of the Board of Directors and our owner family to significantly boost the work to ensure a lasting positive impact.
"[Quality] is paramount to us as it enables us to provide children with a unique play experience that inspires and develops them and enables them to build a better tomorrow. This is ultimately the reason for our continued efforts to always do better."
LEGO has been bringing in outside intelligence and has formed key partnerships in its mission to make its iconic bricks as green as possible. Its partnership with WWF was originally signed in 2013 and a renewed agreement between the brand and the environmental group focuses on assessing the overall sustainability and impact of bio-based materials for LEGO bricks and packaging.
The matter remains that the term 'sustainable' in the plastics arena is blurred.
Knudstorp explained: "There is no common definition of a sustainable material. Several factors influence the environmental sustainability of a material – the composition of the material, how it is sourced and what happens when the product reaches the end of its life. When we search for new materials all of these factors must be considered.
"What we announce ... is a long-term investment and a dedication to ensuring the continued research and development of new materials that will enable us to continue to deliver great, high quality creative play experiences in the future, while caring for the environment and future generations. It is a daunting and exciting challenge."