Legos lying around? Toy maker tests new way to recycle the bricks

ego is looking to keep its plastic bricks out of the trash.

The Danish toymaker is testing a way for customers to ship their unwanted bricks back and get them into the hands of other kids who can’t afford to purchase the toys. The pilot program is called Lego Replay.

The process to participate is simple: collect any loose Lego bricks, sets or elements, place them into a cardboard box, and visit www.lego.com/replay to print out a free UPS shipping label.

“We know people don’t throw away their Lego bricks,” said Tim Brooks, vice president, Environmental Responsibility at the Lego Group. “The vast majority hand them down to their children or grandchildren. But others have asked us for a safe way to dispose of or to donate their bricks. With Replay, they have an easy option that’s both sustainable and socially impactful.”

The packages will be sent to the Give Back Box facility, where each brick will be sorted, inspected by hand and cleaned.

Lego will then give the bricks to Teach for America, a nonprofit that will donate them to classrooms across the United States.

“Learning through play can have a tremendous impact on a child’s cognitive development. Through play, children develop fine motor skills, think creatively, and can learn how to problem solve through teamwork,” said Susan Asiyanbi, Teach For America’s chief operating and program officer. “But not everyone has access to such resources. LEGO Replay, and the instructional resources they provide educators, will help give more students access to this opportunity.”

Some bricks will be also sent to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston for their after-school programs.

Brooks and his team spent the past three years working on the project to ensure the process met the highest quality and safety standards and adhered to U.S. regulations.

They then connected with Give Back Box, a charity dedicated to “recycling” 11 million tons of unused clothing, footwear, and other textiles that end up in U.S. landfills each year.

“I am excited to join the Lego Group in this pilot program,” said Monika Wiela, founder of Give Back Box. “Growing up in Poland, I didn’t have many toys as a child, so this collaboration is rather personal for me. What’s better than giving a child the gift of play?

“For us, the number of donations we receive is critical to a successful campaign, so we’ve made it as easy as possible for folks at home to send in their idle bricks.”

Lego said if the test is successful, it may expand the program beyond the U.S. next year.

Lego, like other big brands, is looking to please customers worried about plastic’s impact on the environment.

Plastic doesn’t disintegrate but instead can break down into tiny pieces and be eaten by birds or other wildlife, endangering their health.

It is also working to find other materials for its colorful bricks. But finding one as durable as plastic has been a challenge, Brooks said.

Last year, however, it began making Lego trees and bushes out of sugar cane.

Rival Hasbro, which makes Monopoly and Mr. Potato Head, said it plans to eliminate plastic use in its packaging by 2022. It too has said that finding a material to replace the plastic in its toys has been tricky.