Danish toymaker Lego has presented its first building bricks made out of recycled drinks bottles — an experimental project that if successful could eventually go into production.
In a statement Wednesday, the group said the prototype uses plastic from discarded bottles from the United States. On average, a one-liter bottle provides enough raw material for ten Lego bricks with two rows of four studs, said the company which is based in Billund, western Denmark.
“We know kids care about the environment and want us to make our products more sustainable,” said Tim Brooks, the Lego group’s vice president of environmental responsibility. “Even though it will be a while before they will be able to play with bricks made from recycled plastic, we want to let kids know we’re working on it.”
The company said its discarded bottle suppliers use processes approved by the US Food & Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority.
The bottles are made of PET plastic, or polyethylene terephthalate, which doesn't degrade in quality when recycled.
The prototype followed more than three years of research during which hundreds of variations of PET materials and other plastic formulations were tested, Lego said. It can fit with Lego elements made over the past 60 years.
Lego said its team will continue to carry out tests over at least a year and then assess whether to move to the pilot production phase.
Lego was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen. The name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well.”
Cynthia Chen, CEO of Kikoff, shares how their membership app helps users build credit with zero fees, no interest, and smart tools that make every point count.
OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT will soon engage in "erotica for verified adults." CEO Sam Altman says the company aims to allow more user freedom for adults while setting limits for teens. OpenAI isn't the first to explore sexualized AI, but previous attempts have faced legal and societal challenges. Altman believes OpenAI isn't the "moral police" and wants to differentiate content similar to how Hollywood differentiates R-rated movies. This move could help OpenAI, which is losing money, turn a profit. However, experts express concerns about the impact on real-world relationships and the potential for misuse.
CNN is launching a new “All Access” streaming subscription in the U.S. on October 28th, priced at $6.99 a month, or just $69.99 if you sign up for a full year.
