Can LEGO® Bricks be Recycled?

Children all over the world love LEGO® bricks, but what happens when those children outgrow their brick-building days? What happens to the hundreds of loose bricks that are just taking up space in your home?

Today, it’s drilled into us to reuse and recycle wherever we can, so it feels wrong to throw something away that’s perfectly usable. If the time has come to dispose of your old LEGO® bricks, you’re probably wondering how best to shift your bricks. Can LEGO® bricks be recycled and if so, how do you recycle them?

Well, unfortunately, LEGO® bricks are almost impossible to recycle in the traditional sense. Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away and turning them into new products. The plastic that LEGO® bricks are made out of is very difficult to melt down to turn into something else, so if you try to recycle your bricks, they’re likely to end up in landfill.

But don’t give up hope just yet! There are other ways to dispose of, or ‘recycle’ your LEGO® pieces that are environmentally friendly.

Why are LEGO® Bricks Not Recyclable?

LEGO® bricks are famous for being sturdy and durable. While these are great qualities for a toy to have, they’re not so great when it comes to recycling. LEGO® bricks are made up of 20 different types of plastic, 80% being ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene). ABS is what gives LEGO® bricks their strength and is generally very difficult to recycle. So although it is possible to recycle LEGO® bricks, most recycling centres don’t accept it. The LEGO Group is working on finding a more sustainable material for their bricks, that will enable them to be recycled. But for now, we’re tasked with finding other ways to give our unwanted LEGO® bricks a second purpose and avoid waste.

What can I Do with My Old LEGO® Bricks UK?

1. Sell Your LEGO® Bricks

Selling old LEGO® bricks is a great way to expand it’s life. Not only will you be giving your bricks a new home, but you’ll get paid for it too!

The best place to sell unwanted LEGO® bricks online is on WeBuyBricks. We aim to give people a sustainable solution when they’re decluttering LEGO® bricks, that’s completely hassle-free! We buy LEGO® bricks by weight, so there’s no need to organise your collection before you sell it. Whether you have co-ordinated sets or a jumbled up bag of bricks, we’ll take them off your hands in exchange for cash.

2. Donate LEGO® Bricks to Charity

If you’re not looking to make a profit from you old bricks, then donating them is a good option.

There are a ton of charity shops around that will take your LEGO® bricks off your hands. If you already have a charity in mind, this is the perfect opportunity to support them. If not, a quick google search should help you find any local charities that accept LEGO® sets and pieces. Wherever you choose, donating to charity is a great way to help a good cause.

3. Donate to Your Local School or Nursery

There’s also the option to donate your LEGO® brick collection to a local school or nursery - but make sure you give then a call to check whether or not they’re interested first.

Most schools will be happy to accept your donations! Unfortunately, school budgets aren’t as big as they used to be, so getting such a loveable toy for free will help schools to entertain kids and keep their money free for other supplies and resources.

4. Give to Friends or Family

This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce a nephew, niece or friend to the love of brick building! Collecting LEGO® bricks isn’t the cheapest hobby to have, so most of your loved ones would be thrilled to get your unwanted collection for free.

What if Your LEGO® bricks aren’t in Good Condition?

If you’re selling or donating LEGO® bricks, they obviously need to be in a good enough condition to play with. See our condition guidelines for guidance.

If your LEGO® bricks collection isn’t in a usable condition, it’s worth trying to find a recycling centre that might accept your old bricks.

You could also try getting in contact with the LEGO Group directly for advice. They can sometimes grind down old bricks to make new pieces. If those pieces can’t be ground down and reused in moulding, they could help generate power in the LEGO Group facilities.

Start Selling LEGO® Bricks Acceptance Guidelines