It's not just ABS plastic at LEGO, a dozen different plastics are used

LEGO fans often discuss issues related to the raw material used by the manufacturer for its bricks: plastic. By association of idea, we generally speak of the plastic used for the bricks, theABS or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene. But this material is actually only used for so-called "classic" LEGO and DUPLO bricks because it notably offers the characteristics necessary for the interlocking of these elements, the Clutch Power. The manufacturer also announced a few months ago that it had succeeded in producing a brick based on PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) recycled. This prototype would a priori offer the level of quality and safety required by the manufacturer and a one-litre PET bottle would make it possible to produce ten classic LEGO 2x4 bricks.

Although the subject of replacing ABS with a more environmentally friendly alternative material is often brought up, it is however not the only plastic from the petroleum industry molded by the manufacturer and many other materials are used. by LEGO based on their respective properties and applications.

The base plates are for example designed with a plastic of the type HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene), easily thermoformable, renowned for its impact resistance and its ability to serve as a support for ABS. The gears and some connectors very present in the LEGO Technic range are made in PA (Polyamide), a material appreciated for its resistance to wear and its sliding properties even if it reacts rather badly to the driest atmospheres which can make it brittle.

Transparent parts such as windshields, lightsaber blades, or plates transparent are made of MABS extension (Methylmethacrylate Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), a plastic cousin of ABS which allows transparency. Flexible rods and other flexible elements are made of MPO (Metallocene Thermoplastic Polyolefin), a thermoplastic resistant to bending and torsion, the parts provided with Ball Seals and more generally those involving the use of ball joints are made of Polycarbonate (PC), a material resistant to shocks and to deformations linked to constant stress (creep).

Elements such as plants are made of Polyethylene (PE), a flexible material available in two variants depending on the level of flexibility required (HDPE and LDPE) and now made from ethanol obtained from the distillation of sugar cane. This biopolyethylene is not biodegradable but it is however recyclable via the same processes as conventional polyethylene.

The pins and rigid axles of the Technic universe are made of Polyoxymethylene (POM), a hard plastic with a low coefficient of friction and very resistant to traction, Polypropylene (PP) is used for elements that must withstand a certain level of deformation such as sabers or handcuffs, Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) which combines the resistance of a classic plastic with the flexibility of silicone is used for certain animals or for example for the bracelets of the LEGO DOTS range.

LEGO tires are made of Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene (SEBS), a plastic similar to rubber and suitable for outdoor use and the LEGO brick separator as well as many transparent elements are made of Thermoplastic Polyester (TP), a very strong material that can also provide a good level of transparency as needed.

LEGO don't hide it, each type of element is made from the most suitable material according to the mechanical and aesthetic constraints and the list is long. The quest to replace conventional plastic with a more environmentally friendly material is therefore far from over and sooner or later it will be necessary to find suitable solutions to gradually replace other materials of the same type present in the manufacturer's factories. Easier said than done.