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.”

Share:
More In Business
GM President Mark Reuss on New Electric Escalade and Overall EV Market
GM President Mark Reuss joined Cheddar News to discuss the company's new Cadillac Escalade electric vehicle and talked about how to make affordable EVs for the general public. "That's who we are as a company -- we will offer vehicles for everybody and every different income level," he said.
Stretching Your Dollar: Tips for Buying a Used Car
Lauren Fix, automotive expert with 'The Car Coach,' spoke with Cheddar News to provide tips and advantages on buying a used vehicle. "You let somebody else take the depreciation, which is probably one of the best things ... you then move in at a two- or three-year-old vehicle that maybe was leased, and you can get some great values," she said.
Load More