Toy manufacturers (such as Mattel) are shifting towards a circular economy model, which can be employed by consumers, too. | Rick Mason/Unsplash What are toy companies doing about plastic waste?
Toy manufacturers (such as Mattel) are shifting towards a circular economy model. Many children are particularly drawn to bright plastic toys but may tire of them rapidly a survey by British Heart Foundation found that 28 percent of UK parents have discarded toys that are in perfect working order.Īccording to a report by ecoBirdy - a company that recycles discarded plastic toys into colorful furniture for young people - the overwhelming majority of toy industry plastic currently ends up in landfill, incinerators, or the ocean. (Even the dreaded Monopoly had a resurgence.) The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has prompted a boost for games and puzzles, dolls and action figures, and outdoor play, in particular. In 2020 alone, toy sales increased by an additional 16 percent, as reported by Forbes. Plastic items also account for approximately 90 percent of the sprawling toy manufacturing industry, which makes upwards of $20.4 billion dollars in sales annually. In general, plastic is a huge problem, and recycling can only take care of so much excess waste. 9Vk1k5RYwX- USA TODAY How do toys affect the environment? Old Barbie dolls, Matchbox cars and Mega Bloks could be used to build the next generation of toys as part of the takeback program. “We get to keep these valuable materials out of a landfill and have the opportunity to learn from the circular model,” Pamela Gill-Alabaster, Mattel’s global head of sustainability, told CNN earlier this week. Mattel will then sort, process, and either recycle, downcycle, or convert the component materials into energy.
Mattel playback free#
North American customers can print a free postage label from Mattel’s website and send unwanted toys back to the manufacturer. and Canada with a view to expanding to France, Germany, and the UK with a third-party partner at a later date.
Mattel PlayBack will first launch in the U.S.
The company - best known for popular brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, MEGA, and Matchbox - is the second-largest toy manufacturer in the world by revenue after Lego, and has produced toys for kids and young people for over 76 years.Īccording to CNN Business, the program will initially be exclusive to Barbie, Matchbox, and MEGA toys. It also forms part of Mattel’s existing pledge to use 100 percent recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastics by 2030, including both products and packaging. PlayBack will help cut back on the significant amount of plastic waste that stems from the global toy industry. Mattel’s “PlayBack” recycling program will recover and recycle old toys into new ones.
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