In an insightful article originally published on edie, Annette Stube, Chief Sustainability Officer at the LEGO Group, discusses the company’s significant strides and ongoing challenges in replacing fossil-based plastics with renewable and recycled alternatives.
Key Milestones in Sustainable Sourcing
According to the LEGO Group’s Sustainability Report, the company has achieved a major milestone. Over a four-year period, the share of renewable and recycled materials purchased for brick production surged from less than 2% to over 50% (52%). Crucially, this reduction in virgin fossil material usage occurred even as company revenue grew by 29% over the same timeframe.
The Role of Mass Balance
Transitioning away from fossil fuels in an industry built upon them is no easy feat—especially for a product designed to last for generations. LEGO bricks must meet rigorous safety, quality, and durability standards.
To bridge the gap while full-scale alternatives are being developed, the LEGO Group relies on the mass balance approach. By purchasing ISCC PLUS certified mass balance resin, the company can attribute renewable inputs to its supply chain. While an individual brick may not contain a fixed percentage of recycled material, the overall system accounts for and drives the demand for sustainable inputs.
Stube emphasizes that scale must match integrity. To prevent misleading claims and protect the credibility of the mass balance method, the LEGO Group advocates for robust global guardrails, clear rules for physical and chemical connectivity, and independent verification.
Looking Beyond the Stepping Stone
While mass balance serves as a vital practical bridge today, the company’s ultimate ambition is to use renewable and recycled materials that are physically integrated into its products. LEGO has already achieved success with innovations like using artificial marble kitchen worktop offcuts for certain transparent elements.
However, Stube points out a broader industry hurdle: while alternative materials and infrastructure exist for many single-use plastics, durable plastics lack the same scalable ecosystem. The plastics industry as a whole is not yet ready for a system-wide sustainable transition at the scale required for classic LEGO sets.
Building a Sustainable Future
The LEGO Group views mass balance not as the final destination, but as an essential stepping stone. By combining near-term pragmatic solutions with long-term investments in complex supply chains, the company aims to foster a wider industry shift toward a more sustainable future for the next generation.