We all know that plastic toys may be unnecessary or end up in the landfill, but it’s good to know that huge companies like Mattel are now using bioplastic and making their products more sustainable.
They debuted new certified CarbonNeutral toys this week from their popular MEGA BLOKS line for tots, and recently released a Matchbox Tesla Roadster, its first die-cast vehicle made from 99% recycled materials, which is currently sold out.
These are moves toward the company’s goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials in all its toys and packaging by 2030.
The MEGA BLOKS Green Town collection for preschoolers is the first-ever toy line available at mass retailers to be certified CarbonNeutral. Just in time for Earth Month, four new Green Town building sets are made for helping teach green living strategies to ages 1 and up.
Each playset, like the Eco House or Grow & Protect Farm, are made from a minimum of 56% plant-based materials and a minimum of 26% ISCC certified “bio-circular plastics”.
They achieved the CarbonNeutral product certification, by purchasing carbon offsets (less than 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents) from the Darkwood Forests Conservation project in Canada. Packaging is created with 100% Forest Stewardship Council certified paper or paperboard, plus soy-based inks and water-based varnishes to enhance recyclability, says the company.
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Sustainable Barbie, UNO cards, and baby toys
Mattel also launched Barbie Loves the Ocean, its first fashion doll line (which includes curvy and diverse dolls) made from recycled ocean-bound plastic; the Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks and stacking rings, made from plant-based plastics; and the first fully recyclable UNO deck without cellophane packing materials; as well as three previously released MEGA Bloks sets made from bio-based plastics.
LOOK: Mom Sparks Creative Imagination in Kids With Her Toys Made From Cardboard Boxes
Future products designed to have less impact on the environment, include new Matchbox EV models from brands like BMW, Nissan, Honda; and more products designed for recyclability, such as those with easy-to-remove and recycle e-waste electronics in their new Recycling Truck and other toys.
MEGA and Matchbox are also part of an innovative toy takeback program called Mattel PlayBack, launched last year in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and the UK—designed to recover and reuse valuable materials from old Mattel toys.
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