Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

BUSINESS

Denmark’s Lego struggles to introduce non-plastic bricks

Attempts by Danish toy giant Lego to take a step towards greener production with non-plastic brick have hit a stumbling block.

Published: 25 September 2023 14:11 CEST
Denmark’s Lego struggles to introduce non-plastic bricks
Lego has struggled to find a way to sustainably produce renewable bricks. File photo: Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

Lego has dropped plans to switch from oil-based plastic in its products to the renewable RPET plastic, CEO Niels Christiansen said in an interview with the Financial Times.

It is not possible to make a switch to RPET from the ABS plastic currently in use within the framework of sustainable production, according to the director.

“We have tested hundreds of materials” but without finding the type needed for purpose, he said.

In early 2020, Lego said it had committed to carbon neutral production within the next ten years.

The company said at the time that, by 2030, all Lego bricks would be manufactured from sustainable plastic made from materials such as sugar cane or wood, replacing fossil fuel-based plastics.

READ ALSO: Lego to turn all its bricks ‘green’ by 2030

But attempts to use RPET have shown that production with the material would in fact result in higher CO2 emissions, it said.

Legos told news wire Ritzau that the setback with RPET plastic does not mean it has scrapped its ambition of finding more sustainable plastic materials.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

BUSINESS

Maersk profits plummet as Yemeni attacks close off Red Sea route

Danish shipping giant Maersk posted a huge drop in net profit for the first quarter on Thursday as Yemeni rebel attacks are forcing it to avoid the vital Red Sea route.

Published: 2 May 2024 10:06 CEST
Maersk profits plummet as Yemeni attacks close off Red Sea route

Maersk reported a net profit of $177 million in the first three months of the year, a 13-fold drop from the same period last year. Turnover fell 13 percent to $12.4 billion, slightly lower than forecast by analysts surveyed by financial data firm FactSet.

The company, however, raised its outlook for the full year, citing higher demand and increased rates and costs due to the supply chain disruptions in the Red Sea.

It now expects an underlying core profit ranging between $4 billion and $6 billion, up from $1 billion-$6 billion previously.

“We had a positive start to the year with a first quarter developing precisely as we expected,” Maersk chief executive Vincent Clerc said in a statement.

“Demand is trending towards the higher end of our market growth guidance and conditions in the Red Sea remain entrenched,” he said.

“This not only supported a recovery in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter, but also provide an improved outlook for the coming quarters, as we now expect these conditions to stay with us for most of the year.”

Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and much of the country’s Red Sea coast, have launched dozens of attacks on ships since November, claiming solidarity with Palestinians caught up in the Israel-Hamas war.

The United States in December announced a maritime security initiative to protect Red Sea shipping from the attacks, which have forced commercial vessels to divert from the route that normally carries 12 percent of global trade.

SHOW COMMENTS