29 Focus on Lubricant & Condition Monitoring - Analytical Instrumentation TALKING POINT
LEGO reconsiders certain recycled feedstocks as carbon emissions fail to fall carbon emissions and phasing out fossil fuels, might clash.
In the contemporary race towards a more sustainable and ecologically balanced world, companies, both big and small, are reassessing their environmental footprints and seeking innovative solutions to mitigate their impacts on the environment. LEGO, the toy giant, is under particular pressure as it confronts the complex, intricate landscape of sustainability and environmental conservation as a company that is foundationally reliant on plastics.
World famous for its iconic bricks, LEGO has, in recent years, been actively re-evaluating its efforts to transition from oil-based plastics to more sustainable, recycled materials after discovering unexpected repercussions—higher carbon emissions. The prototype brick, manufactured from recycled plastic bottles, had initially seemed a promising venture to replace the oil-based ABS currently used in the vast majority of LEGO pieces.
However, CEO Niels Christiansen revealed that utilising recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) necessitated new production equipment, which inadvertently led to an elevation in the lifetime carbon emissions of the product. Such diffi culties highlight the scale of the challenges companies are navigating in their pursuit of eco-friendly solutions, where different sustainability goals, such as diminishing
In 2018, LEGO had successfully commenced its sustainability journey by replacing oil-based polyethylene feedstock with a plant-based counterpart in several pieces. The company’s ambitious blueprint included a complete transition from petroleum-based plastics in its diverse range of products by 2030 and the elimination of single-use plastic packaging by 2025.
However, replacing ABS, the backbone of LEGO’s renowned “clutch power,” posed signifi cant challenges. Tim Brooks, LEGO’s Chief of Sustainability, compared the endeavour to “trying to make a bike out of wood rather than steel,” emphasizing the struggle to replicate the safety, durability, and energy effi ciency of ABS with recycled PET.
To address these challenges, LEGO is exploring avenues to incrementally incorporate more bio-based and recycled materials into ABS components, enhancing sustainability without compromising product quality. Although this piecemeal approach makes it exceedingly diffi cult to quantify emission reductions initially, Christiansen is optimistic that these incremental changes
align with LEGO’s sustainability vision for 2032, which includes a commitment to achieving a 37% reduction in emissions from 2019 levels and utilising only sustainable materials by 2032. It plans to escalate its investment in sustainability initiatives to $430 million per year by 2025, emphasising a multifaceted approach focusing on lower emissions and the exploration of potentially circular materials.
Additionally, LEGO’s Replay program exemplifi es its commitment to a circular business model, allowing the donation of used bricks, which are then refurbished and redirected to charities. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to explore commercial models that incentivise consumers to return old sets, fostering a cycle of reuse that surpasses the benefi ts of recycling.
LEGO’s recalibration of its sustainability approach underscores a crucial learning for industries globally: the journey to sustainability is not a linear one. It requires constant reassessment, learning, and adaptation to balance ecological benefi ts with practical feasibility. While the pursuit of a “magic material” continues, the incremental advances in material science and sustainability strategies are pivotal in steering the global community towards a greener future.
Quick and easy wear metal analysis
eralytic’s latest product innovation ERAOIL is the fi rst and most advanced stand-alone rotating disc electrode spectrometer analysing wear metals, additives, and contaminants in all kinds of operating liquids. Up to 32 elements are measured fully automatically within 30 seconds providing sub-ppm limit of detection (LOD).
The measurement is performed according to international standards: wear metals, contaminants, additives in lubricating oils and hydraulic fl uids according to ASTM D6595 and contaminants in gas turbine and engine fuel according to ASTM D6728.
ERAOIL’s unique stand-alone design features a built-in PC and a 10-inch color touchscreen. Even an electrode sharpener and an automatic ventilation system are integrated into ERAOIL. With its smallest and most robust housing, it is suitable for laboratory and on-site applications.
ERAOIL is the perfect solution for wear metal analysis of lubricants from engines, transmissions, hydraulic systems, and gear boxes. The fast and easy elemental analysis brings clear advantages for the operation of any commercial means of transport or machines in the industrial environment. This solution also provides clear added value for other applications such as coolants, metalworking fl uids or other process fl uids.
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