Back in 2023, the LEGO Group announced it would explore the use of e-methanol to create future LEGO elements and help the company replace some fossil-based plastic with lower-carbon alternatives. Now some of the first elements to use this new process have started to go into production. Currently, more than 90 LEGO elements, including cross axles, connectors, steering wheels and Minifigure hands, have started to be made using the new method. Learn more below.
The LEGO Group starts making selected LEGO® elements using e-methanol
We have started using e-methanol, a renewable material, to help make more than 90 robust and rigid LEGO® elements, including cross axles, connectors, steering wheels and Minifigure hands.
This is the result of a partnership agreement to support the production of this material on an industrial scale. Through a process known as Power-to-X, renewable energy is used to produce hydrogen, which is then combined with carbon captured from a biogas facility that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. The result is e-methanol, a renewable alternative that can be used in the production of plastics.
This marks the latest step on our journey to increase the recycled and renewable materials we purchase to make LEGO products, without compromising on safety, quality or durability. It follows more than five years of partnership, testing, learning and scaling to use e-methanol for the production of plastic.
It’s been a complex journey. The challenge has not only been identifying a renewable alternative, but also working with suppliers to integrate the new material into existing manufacturing infrastructure and production methods. As such, the e-methanol is fed into a continuous production loop where virgin fossil is also present. This allows us to begin scaling the solution whilst reducing our use of virgin fossil.
The introduction of e-methanol is just one small milestone in our wider materials journey. More importantly, it demonstrates the power of collaboration across industries to accelerate innovation and scale meaningful materials solutions that no single company can achieve alone.
Find out more about the LEGO Group’s journey to increase renewable and recycled materials: https://www.lego.com/en-gb/sustainability/materials
