The LEGO Group's latest sustainability initiative is a new type of tyre, made from using more than one-third of recycled materials.
LEGO cars and vehicles will soon be chugging along on tyres made from old fishing nets, ropes, and engine oil, as the LEGO Group reveals its latest sustainability push. Some sets already featured the new tyres, with a full transition planned for later in 2025.
Material from discarded ropes and nets from ocean vessels is repurposed and then combined with recycled engine oil to reduce the company's reliance on virgin fossil fuel-based ingredients. Seven LEGO tyre elements will initially use the new technique, each one containing at least 30% recycled materials and some are already in action in the LEGO system. Despite the change in material, the LEGO Group states there's no discernible difference between them and the tyres we know already.
The LEGO Group expects these new tyres to be used in around 120 different sets by the end of the year and plans to explore ways to expand recycled content across more tyre styles in the near future.
“This is an exciting step in our ambition to make LEGO products more sustainable and reduce our dependence on virgin fossil fuels." said Chief Sustainability Officer Annette Stube. "Over the past five years, we have invested significant time in developing and testing this new recycled material to ensure it meets our high standards for quality, safety, and durability. The tires are just one of many options we’re working on to make our products more sustainable and it’s encouraging to see something this innovative making it into our sets.”
This latest move comes after the LEGO Group abandoned plans to make bricks from plastic bottles, although there are still various other sustainability plans in the works at the company. The recycled materials for tyres are part of an overarching goal to make LEGO Group bricks and packaging from more sustainable materials. To date, the LEGO Group has tested more than 600 different materials for its bricks and elements.
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