LEGO Drops Plans To Make Bricks From Recycled Bottles
LEGO is abandoning plans to use recycled plastic bottles for its bricks. CNN's Laila Harrak speaks with a recycling expert on why this change in plans is not that surprising.
Lego Says Making Bricks From Recycled Bottles Produces More Carbon Than New Plastic
For years, the toymaker Lego has been trying to figure out how to make its plastic building blocks out of sustainable materials. It’s experimented with all kinds of things — Brazilian sugarcane, for instance, which worked, at least for some pieces. It also tried recycled plastic bottles, which … didn’t work. The company said Monday it’s abandoning an effort to make its bricks out of recycled PET, the plastic found in many of our bottles and food containers.
A New Report Details the Climate, Health and Human Rights Impacts of a Plastic Bottle
On May 23, Defend Our Health, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Beyond Petrochemicals campaign, released “Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle,” a new report that explores the impact of PET plastics across their entire life cycle. Its authors find that the proliferation of single-use PET plastics — notably by companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo — “may prolong the climate crisis, threaten human health, and promote environmental racism.”
Why Plastic Is Building Up at Recycling Centers and Catching Fire.
Recycling plants are amassing millions of tons of plastic bottles, the Environmental Protection Agency says, with some becoming part of a growing problem of toxic fires at these plants, according to data provided by environmental advocates. Critics say beverage companies should be doing more to make their products more recyclable.