Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks

Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by extropy on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @05:49PM (#20169689)

Hmm I'm not following. This is about moving away from oil dependance, not making bricks bio degenerable.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by nerfhammer on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @06:08PM (#20169850)

I think that the idea is it matters less if it's not a disposable product.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by whymauri on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @07:48PM (#20170520)

Huh? Lego makes billions of pieces a year, disposability or not.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by randyrand on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:52PM (#20178479)

Why does that matter? Producing plastic is not bad. It's burning it, littering it, or throwing it away in a permanent landfills that are the bad parts.

If it's not disposable, it's not bad.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by gorbypark on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:06PM (#20178579)

Less bad. I'm just making this up, but I assume something like this has to happen. Someone must drill/dig/mine for the oil (and maybe extract the bitumen from sand), transport that oil product to a refinery, refine the oil into something that can be used to make plastics, ship that refined product to a plastics manufacturing facility, make the raw plastic, ship that plastic off to Lego's manufacturing facility, make the Lego, package them up and ship it off to a warehouse where it will then be shipped to someone like Amazon who will then sell it and have it delivered to the buyer. There's a huge environmental costs to everything, whether it's oil based or plant based.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by tracker1 on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:49PM (#20178886)

As it stands, I understand the research as eventually crude oil will run out. For the most part, afaik, our plastics are a useful byproduct of our oil consumption for fuel that would otherwise be more landfill waste. It's best to make reusable and long term use plastics from that material.

As to plastics from plant sources, it seems that a lot of what we do use for disposable containers and packaging are a better fit for those sources considering how well they break down. Of course, this all assumes that proper landfills are used and it isn't just shipped out of the country of use.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by nerfhammer on Thursday June 13, 2019 @01:13AM (#20171981)

I'm not OP but how does that compare to disposable items like plastic forks, cups, pens, bottles or bags?

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by timClicks on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:50PM (#20178468)

Single-use plastics are a much larger problem. Compare how many food wrappers you might see in the park vs Lego bricks.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by vbuwivbiu on Thursday June 13, 2019 @07:39AM (#20173759)

hopefully they will move away from oil but nevertheless Lego is the only product I can think of I don't mind lasting for millennia for future peoples to enjoy

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by benologist on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @08:21PM (#20170731)

Even if you keep it for decades it's got millennia left to be someone else's trash and landfill, so it's still worth substituting something that biodegrades.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by thrower123 on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @09:40PM (#20171148)

No thanks. The older bricks break down and become brittle and discolored if exposed to sunlight enough already.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by Arbalest on Thursday June 13, 2019 @06:30AM (#20173349)

A product that doesn't last multiple generations to be passed down, and justified by the use of green materials? Sounds like a business dream.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by cure on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:32PM (#20178765)

I've got some from ~25 years ago that are discolored due to exposure to sunlight. There are ways to fix that (http://lego.jtooker.com/whitening/). I haven't noticed them getting brittle, though.

I've also got some bricks that are much older (from the 60s I think), and are still usable. They haven't spent time in the sun, so they are not even discolored.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by tonyedgecombe on Thursday June 13, 2019 @07:32AM (#20173722)

My parents still have Lego from my childhood in the loft. The only parts that have degraded are electrical.

I’m not sure what we will do with it when they pass, it has little or no value.

Perhaps it would make sense to recycle it.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by docker_up on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:47PM (#20178432)

Lego has more value than you think. You can at least sell it by the pound for pretty good price.

https://www.vocativ.com/underworld/crime/lego-heists/index.h...

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by jacquesm on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:05PM (#20178570)

> it has little or no value.

You are so wrong about that. Vintage sets go for many times their original worth, and some parts are worth more than you'd think reasonable for a little piece of plastic.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by cure on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:38PM (#20178807)

You can sell unsorted lego by the pound (on Ebay they will fetch ~$8/pound), if there are no minifigs or special bricks. If you have minifigs or special bricks, and are willing to pull them out and sell separately, you'll make much more.

Prices on Craigslist in higher cost areas tend to be higher, as usual. If you live in a higher cost area, buy on Ebay, sell on Craigslist.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by todd8 on Thursday June 13, 2019 @06:09PM (#20179019)

> some parts are worth more than you’d think reasonable...

all parts are worth more than I’d think reasonable.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by jacquesm on Thursday June 13, 2019 @06:28PM (#20179160)

You are entirely entitled to your own estimation of the value of lego parts, while I would agree that lego is in an absolute sense way too expensive on a relative scale it is cheap compared to most other toys given the amount of use it gets. The only things it really competes with are musical instruments and digital gizmos.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by todd8 on Thursday June 13, 2019 @11:31PM (#20180409)

I am surprised at the cost of LEGO parts, but they are undeniably good and durable toys.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by folli on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:24PM (#20178704)

In original packaging maybe, but not after several kids have played with them for years (and inevitably lost pieces)

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by jacquesm on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:29PM (#20178735)

There's a cottage industry of people sorting those piles of lego and then completing the sets from parts bought individually. It's not going to make you millions but there are people that do this relatively successfully.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by cure on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:33PM (#20178771)

Bricklink is a fantastic resource to replace missing pieces.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by kwhitefoot on Thursday June 13, 2019 @10:41AM (#20175318)

Give it away on FreeCycle or similar, put a free ad somewhere. someone will take it.

Don't just throw it away.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by tonyedgecombe on Thursday June 13, 2019 @11:35AM (#20175841)

Don't just throw it away.

I shall try but I'm sceptical there is much interest in a pile of unsorted 1970's Lego. I could be wrong though.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by jacquesm on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:06PM (#20178577)

It might fetch as much as $15 per kg depending on the quality and what sets were in it. Just one rare train in there and you're going to look at substantial money.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by cosmodisk on Thursday June 13, 2019 @12:03PM (#20176181)

Did buy 7.5kg of unsorted Legos very recently,so yes, there's some interest.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by UseStrict on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:37PM (#20178358)

I would totally buy it if you're able to ship to Canada. Love collecting and building with LEGO.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by cmiles74 on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:17PM (#20178649)

No joke, my child loves Legos. We always grab 'em when they show up on freecycle or Facebook or where-ever.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by dractori on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:56PM (#20178508)

Post to craigslist or facebook marketplace and you'll quickly find out how in demand they are. Esp if there are minifigs. Lego collecting is VERY popular right now.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by cr0sh on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:02PM (#20178544)

How much is there and do you live in the USA? I'm interested, if you want to talk about it, PM me.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by Thinkx220 on Friday June 14, 2019 @02:35PM (#20185456)

If you don't want them I can take them off your hands for you :)

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by thrower123 on Thursday June 13, 2019 @07:40AM (#20173766)

You might be surprised at the value. There's quite a collector's market for older Lego sets, if you check sites like Bricklink.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by tonyedgecombe on Thursday June 13, 2019 @11:32AM (#20175816)

There are no complete sets, just loose bricks and a few instructions.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by natch on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:31PM (#20178310)

Sets is just one mindset. There are people with a different mindset who do want unsorted bricks. I do realize you were replying to a specific mention of sets though.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by baddox on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:47PM (#20178431)

I've looked into it a bit. With some exceptions for very rare pieces, it's almost certainly not worth the effort of cataloging all your random LEGO pieces, unless you enjoy the process itself.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by Symbiote on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:54PM (#20178928)

Spread it out onto the floor, photograph it, and stick it on eBay for $20 or whatever.

Or, donate it to a school or charity shop (thrift store?).

That you don't want to realise the full value doesn't mean it has no value.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by jacquesm on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:07PM (#20178581)

Agreed, that's not worth it if you value your time. But a rough idea of what sets are in there plus a kg price and someone will be happy to take it.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by natch on Friday June 14, 2019 @01:12AM (#20180725)

Right, though I said nothing about cataloging.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by beenBoutIT on Thursday June 13, 2019 @07:41PM (#20179533)

'Recycling' in this case means giving them to some child or charity that gives things to poor kids. LEGOs are an extremely powerful learning tool for young people.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by Hedja on Wednesday June 12, 2019 @06:40PM (#20170082)

What do you base that on? Lego has plenty of small individual sets that get played with by kids, broken apart, bits go missing and eventually they get binned.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by pkulak on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:02PM (#20178548)

Sure... and then Starbucks sells 43 more drinks in the next 100ms and completely overwhelms your example.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by magic_beans on Thursday June 13, 2019 @04:59PM (#20178528)

That's very anecdotal. Just because you might have been attached to Legos, doesn't mean everyone is.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by jacquesm on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:11PM (#20178605)

There is a near insatiable market for second hand lego. So even if you're not attached to it plenty of people value it enough that you'll be able to recoup a substantial fraction of your initial outlay. Lego holds its value better than most other commodities.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by zubspace on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:09PM (#20178594)

The first lego sets I had are still great. They are more basic and allow more open play than the current sets in my opinion.

The lego pieces today feel a bit better and are easier to connect and pull apart. But I do not like the way Legos transitioned into Collector-Pieces/Merchandizing toys. There's just too much of it and most of them limit your fantasy.

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Re:Lego Struggles to Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks by toper-centage on Thursday June 13, 2019 @05:17PM (#20178651)

Yes, but little pieces end up inevitably lost. And for a company as big as Lego, it becomes a moral responsibility to look for solutions - even if each customer only loses one tiny block per year, that's millions of little indestructible plastic pieces. But it would be ideal if they would biodegrade in certain conditions like after 20 years under the sea.

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