LEGO Looking to Replace ABS

[Hapori Tohu]

By 2030, LEGO is hoping to replace the ABS used in its bricks with a new, sustainable resin. As <a href='http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20140218/NEWS/140219915/lego-looking-for-a-sustainable-replacement-for-abs' target='offsite'>Plastc News</a> reports, Allan Rasmussen, senior project manager for LEGO, recently gave a talk at the Innovation Takes Root conference to discuss the progress so far and the many challenges they face. As long as they are able to meet their strict quality standards I think this is a great move and look forward to seeing how they progress.

 

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[Paleo]

Good on them. It's nice to see LEGO moving to be sustainable.

[~garnira returns~]

Lovely! As long as these new bricks are just as good as the old ones, this is a turn in the right direction!

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

I wonder why they are doing it. What is their real goal... are they hoping to have a resin more durable doesnt break as easily and yet fits well with old bricks or is ABS becoming too expensive or something?

[J46 Nui]

As long as the new stuff retains the same quality or improves on it, I am fine with this. But I do hope the new material has the same texture.

[JAG18]

2030? Well, I guess innovation takes time. From reading the article, it seems that LEGO taking this pretty seriously and really trying to make sure that this is done right. So I'm fine with this, I mean after all it looks like all it's going to do is make the world a better place or something like that.

[Black Six]

I wonder why they are doing it. What is their real goal... are they hoping to have a resin more durable doesnt break as easily and yet fits well with old bricks or is ABS becoming too expensive or something?

ABS is plastic, which is made from oil, which is a rapidly-depleting resource that is going to get more expensive over time. If they switch to a resin that is not based on oil, it could, in theory, be cheaper to make bricks. At the very least, it would keep them from getting more and more expensive.

[Meiko]

 

I wonder why they are doing it. What is their real goal... are they hoping to have a resin more durable doesnt break as easily and yet fits well with old bricks or is ABS becoming too expensive or something?

ABS is plastic, which is made from oil, which is a rapidly-depleting resource that is going to get more expensive over time. If they switch to a resin that is not based on oil, it could, in theory, be cheaper to make bricks. At the very least, it would keep them from getting more and more expensive.

 

And the cheaper it is to make the bricks, the more affordable the product becomes. It's a good thing for both the manufacturer and the consumer.

[Sumiki]

I've been concerned about this ever since I learned that plastics are derived from oil. I trust that LEGO will take this endeavor seriously and develop a compatible alternative.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Sumiki

[~X-Clone~]

I remember having a discussion about this is the GD forum years back. Everyone said it was a crazy idea.

 

Good on LEGO, though. Sustainable materials are a seriously underappreciated field of study.

[Timelady Gallade]

2030? Ill be 28 by that time. :/

If by 2020 or 2015 would be better for the enviroment, right? Why not then?

[Black Six]

2030? Ill be 28 by that time. :/

If by 2020 or 2015 would be better for the enviroment, right? Why not then?

Yes, that would be great and it would be better for the environment. Finding a replacement material to use for bricks that is 100% compatible and won't wear out or behave differently than the bricks LEGO has been making for over 50 years is no easy task though, and will take a lot of time, money, and research to get it right.

[.:Yio:.]

I'm glad they're giving this a try but I it is my opinion that if the quality is ABSOLUTELY not equal or better then they shouldn't try it at all.

 

I want to back this up by saying that the LEGO product itself is very sustainable. Yes the plastic isn't good and if it was dumped in the environment it would be extremely hazardous. However, the trick with LEGO is that majority of it DOESN'T end up there! Think about, have you actually come across anyone who threw out there old LEGO? Highly unlikely, they probably just sold it or gave it to someone else. LEGO's backward compatibilty is so incredible it doesn't need to end up in the dump.

 

However, on the other hand some of it does end up in the trash when parts are well and truly finished. As well as this, I'm sure the process to make the bricks release fumes that aren't too healthy.

[Chro]

I'm glad they're giving this a try but I it is my opinion that if the quality is ABSOLUTELY not equal or better then they shouldn't try it at all.

 

I want to back this up by saying that the LEGO product itself is very sustainable. Yes the plastic isn't good and if it was dumped in the environment it would be extremely hazardous. However, the trick with LEGO is that majority of it DOESN'T end up there! Think about, have you actually come across anyone who threw out there old LEGO? Highly unlikely, they probably just sold it or gave it to someone else. LEGO's backward compatibilty is so incredible it doesn't need to end up in the dump.

 

However, on the other hand some of it does end up in the trash when parts are well and truly finished. As well as this, I'm sure the process to make the bricks release fumes that aren't too healthy.

I think the bigger issue with ABS and plastic in general is that - as B6 mentioned - it's expensive due to the fact that it's taken from oil. The effect of Lego going back into the environment is also relevant, but in this case secondary, I think. Edited February 24, 2014 by Chro

[Ta-metru_defender]

So in sixteen years I'll be able to afford oodles of Lego.

 

Awesome.

 

Also cheers to them for pursuing a sustainable option; it's actually really cool to see a company as big as Lego doing this.

[Black Six]

I think the bigger issue with ABS and plastic in general is that - as B6 mentioned - it's expensive due to the fact that it's taken from oil. The effect of Lego going back into the environment is also relevant, but in this case secondary, I think.

Right, LEGO has already been undertaking a lot of green initiatives - things like wind power, more economical packaging that makes it easier to ship, and things like that.

[Meiko]

I'm glad they're giving this a try but I it is my opinion that if the quality is ABSOLUTELY not equal or better then they shouldn't try it at all.

 

I want to back this up by saying that the LEGO product itself is very sustainable. Yes the plastic isn't good and if it was dumped in the environment it would be extremely hazardous. However, the trick with LEGO is that majority of it DOESN'T end up there! Think about, have you actually come across anyone who threw out there old LEGO? Highly unlikely, they probably just sold it or gave it to someone else. LEGO's backward compatibilty is so incredible it doesn't need to end up in the dump.

 

However, on the other hand some of it does end up in the trash when parts are well and truly finished. As well as this, I'm sure the process to make the bricks release fumes that aren't too healthy.

Quality won't decrease. LEGO isn't stupid. If they wanted to make a cheaper alternative to ABS without caring about the quality, they'd just switch to a cheaper plastic without doing all the research they're doing into the material. Last time LEGO switched their plastic type was in the 1960s when they switched from cellulose acetate to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) [source]. That was a big increase in quality. LEGO won't just all of a sudden go back to a lower quality plastic.

[LQ1998]

This could be good in the future for keeping prices down. But they have to do it right. I know most of you trust LEGO with this, but I'm kind of a skeptic with things like this. I won't have much faith in this until I see this new material in action. I don't like putting to much trust in any company, because if too many people do that is when they'll start to feel like they can sell us anything (90's and early 2000's). I'll be in support once I see it live up to the standards.

[believe victims]

I'm glad they're giving this a try but I it is my opinion that if the quality is ABSOLUTELY not equal or better then they shouldn't try it at all.

 

I want to back this up by saying that the LEGO product itself is very sustainable. Yes the plastic isn't good and if it was dumped in the environment it would be extremely hazardous. However, the trick with LEGO is that majority of it DOESN'T end up there! Think about, have you actually come across anyone who threw out there old LEGO? Highly unlikely, they probably just sold it or gave it to someone else. LEGO's backward compatibilty is so incredible it doesn't need to end up in the dump.

 

However, on the other hand some of it does end up in the trash when parts are well and truly finished. As well as this, I'm sure the process to make the bricks release fumes that aren't too healthy.

 

I'm pretty sure just the PROCESS of making the plastic releases some very unhealthy emissions, so whether they end up in a landfill or a home doesn't change that.

Edited February 24, 2014 by some critics

[Iver]

I've got a bad feeling about this. Lego has been using the best plastic out of anyone for decades and I haven't seen anyone come CLOSE to the type of quality that Lego has. If there was a better plastic, others would be using it. Which they haven't, so that tells you something. If the plastic changes, something very fundamental is going to change about Lego: the stability, the durability, the way the pieces feel, etc.

[Dralcax]

It's certainly nice to see Lego try to be more sustainable. However, I'm still a bit concerned about how they compare with older bricks. If I can take a brick made in 1980 and a brick made in 2024, then play with, build with, and step on them, I shouldn't be able to tell the difference.

[JAG18]

I've got a bad feeling about this. Lego has been using the best plastic out of anyone for decades and I haven't seen anyone come CLOSE to the type of quality that Lego has. If there was a better plastic, others would be using it. Which they haven't, so that tells you something. If the plastic changes, something very fundamental is going to change about Lego: the stability, the durability, the way the pieces feel, etc.

As to way no one else uses a better plastic than LEGO is because, currently, it does not exist; which is exactly why LEGO is trying to invent. You don't stay on top by becoming complacent and content; the companies who stay on top are constantly trying to keep ahead of the game.

As to whether the bricks will change in terms of stability and durability, other people seem to share your concern and LEGO gets that, so it looks like LEGO is really trying to make sure that they don't change in any of those ways.

 

And that's not to mention the added bonus of being Eco Friendly.

[NickonAquaMagna]

I've got a bad feeling about this. Lego has been using the best plastic out of anyone for decades and I haven't seen anyone come CLOSE to the type of quality that Lego has. If there was a better plastic, others would be using it. Which they haven't, so that tells you something. If the plastic changes, something very fundamental is going to change about Lego: the stability, the durability, the way the pieces feel, etc.

 

That's why they're investing so much time into making something that won't create such concerns. If they just wanted a cheaper alternative, they'd start churning it out in, like, 2-3 years. 5, tops. They're trying to make something that IS as good, maybe even better. This is a different era, they can try new things. They'll never know for sure whether they can do it or not until they try.

[Wazdakka]

I think that this is great! With any luck, Lego might set an eco-friendly precedent for other companies in the toy industry to maintain quality while being good to the environment in which we live, learn, and play in.

[Meiko]

I've got a bad feeling about this. Lego has been using the best plastic out of anyone for decades and I haven't seen anyone come CLOSE to the type of quality that Lego has. If there was a better plastic, others would be using it. Which they haven't, so that tells you something. If the plastic changes, something very fundamental is going to change about Lego: the stability, the durability, the way the pieces feel, etc.

Did you not see that its in research phase right now?

[Lyichir]

 

I've got a bad feeling about this. Lego has been using the best plastic out of anyone for decades and I haven't seen anyone come CLOSE to the type of quality that Lego has. If there was a better plastic, others would be using it. Which they haven't, so that tells you something. If the plastic changes, something very fundamental is going to change about Lego: the stability, the durability, the way the pieces feel, etc.

Did you not see that its in research phase right now?

 

Exactly. There ISN'T currently a sustainable and high-quality substitute for ABS... yet. That's why they've set the target date more than a quarter-century in the future. The goal is to DISCOVER a resin or polymer that would be as good as or better than ABS for manufacturing Lego.

[Great Being Velika]

It's a good thing that they won't be guzzling oil. It means that Lego can still exist even after (if) we deplete all the world's oil. My only concernis that the new material might not be as durable as ABS and could deteriorate over time. That said, go Lego! It's great to see a large company trying to reduce their footprint.

[Meiko]

My only concern is that the new material might not be as durable as ABS and could deteriorate over time.

Which is why they're spending years in a research/development stage so that the new material doesn't have that problem. ^__^

[Lyichir]

It's a good thing that they won't be guzzling oil. It means that Lego can still exist even after (if) we deplete all the world's oil. My only concernis that the new material might not be as durable as ABS and could deteriorate over time. That said, go Lego! It's great to see a large company trying to reduce their footprint.

Well, technically we won't be depleting the world's oil any time soon; there's still a huge amount of untapped oil in the Earth. In fact, a big concern for a lot of environmentalists is that the pollution from burning fossil fuels will devastate climate and ecosystems long before using fossil fuels becomes financially unsustainable. But as we tap the most accessible wells dry, oil WILL at least become less stupidly cheap, and as a result finding a non-petroleum-based replacement for ABS is an important goal for a company like Lego that builds its business almost entirely on plastics.

 

An ABS replacement would have to have a similarly high longevity, but luckily I think Lego sees the value in having such a long-lived product, so long-term stability will surely be one of their big considerations in finding and choosing a replacement material.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Lyichir

[Great Being Velika]

 

It's a good thing that they won't be guzzling oil. It means that Lego can still exist even after (if) we deplete all the world's oil. My only concernis that the new material might not be as durable as ABS and could deteriorate over time. That said, go Lego! It's great to see a large company trying to reduce their footprint.

Well, technically we won't be depleting the world's oil any time soon; there's still a huge amount of untapped oil in the Earth. In fact, a big concern for a lot of environmentalists is that the pollution from burning fossil fuels will devastate climate and ecosystems long before using fossil fuels becomes financially unsustainable. But as we tap the most accessible wells dry, oil WILL at least become less stupidly cheap, and as a result finding a non-petroleum-based replacement for ABS is an important goal for a company like Lego that builds its business almost entirely on plastics.

 

An ABS replacement would have to have a similarly high longevity, but luckily I think Lego sees the value in having such a long-lived product, so long-term stability will surely be one of their big considerations in finding and choosing a replacement material.

 

Heh. Where I live, gas is absurdly expensive...

 

But yeah; I see what you mean now. Price is the biggest object. Oil prices have been on the rise for a long time, and Lego may have reached that point where they realized that it would be cheaper to replace their material. Once they do that, we should se at least a small difference in set prices which would definitely be good for us buyers.

Edited February 25, 2014 by The Real Slim Shady

[Kopekemaster]

As long as it's still good quality, and there isn't a problem with backwards-compatibility, I think this is pretty cool.

[P~M]

Shouldn't it be Plastics News, not Plastc News?

[tahukan]

Yay save the environment kill your foot! 2030 wow 16 years of more pricier Legos

Edited February 27, 2014 by Tahukan The TaVo-Matoran

[believe victims]

Yay save the environment kill your foot! 2030 wow 16 years of more pricier Legos

 

...I'm not QUITE certain what you're saying here (probably meant something along the lines of "shoot yourself in the foot"?) but you seem to have something against the idea of TLG being able to more sustainably run their business? For one thing, the assumption that the bricks would jump in price seems a bit hasty (especially since as more oil gets drilled, oil gets scarcer, prices go up, and people fleeing environmental disasters caused by climate change have less money to buy things like LEGO products). For another, it seems somewhat twisted that you would prioritize the price of a LEGO set over the health of the planet. "The environment" isn't a separate entity from you. You live on this planet, and you will always be affected by the changes that occur to it. Surely paying a bit more for a children's toy is a fair sacrifice for putting off the heat death of Earth.

[fishers64]

I think he might be referring to the fact that R&D costs money, even this type of R&D, and that Lego might pass the costs along to us?

[believe victims]

I think he might be referring to the fact that R&D costs money, even this type of R&D, and that Lego might pass the costs along to us?

 

That still doesn't answer the part about "prioritizing the cost of a children's toy over postponing the destruction of our planet".

[fishers64]

 

I think he might be referring to the fact that R&D costs money, even this type of R&D, and that Lego might pass the costs along to us?

 

That still doesn't answer the part about "prioritizing the cost of a children's toy over postponing the destruction of our planet".

 

I don't think there's room to argue that here. That's a political issue, for starters, that we're not allowed to discuss, as per the rules.

[believe victims]

 

 

I think he might be referring to the fact that R&D costs money, even this type of R&D, and that Lego might pass the costs along to us?

 

That still doesn't answer the part about "prioritizing the cost of a children's toy over postponing the destruction of our planet".

 

I don't think there's room to argue that here. That's a political issue, for starters, that we're not allowed to discuss, as per the rules.

 

 

...I don't think global warming is a political issue? Staff can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's like evolution in that it's science. The "controversy" may be political/religious, but the issue itself is purely scientific.

[Makaru]

I don't think there's room to argue that here. That's a political issue, for starters, that we're not allowed to discuss, as per the rules.

 

Global warming is not a political issue. It's a science issue.

 

On topic, mad props to Lego for finally getting around to looking at better solutions and working towards being the company i know it can be.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Makaru

[fishers64]

Whether our planet's destruction is imminent is very much the purview of religious and political discussion, which is what I was referring to, not global warming per se.

 

Further, none of that has any relevance to Lego's move. I merely see it as practical; oil prices have gone up, so they are looking into a cheaper material to increase profits and decrease our cost without decreasing quality. FTR I approve.