Lego introduces recycling program

A box full of rattling Lego bricks becomes a fixture in many family basements as children grow up, partly because the durable, nonbiodegradable, nonrecyclable toys are so difficult to get rid of. Last week, Lego announced a pilot program to encourage people to donate used bricks to classrooms and after-school programs.

How does the program work? “We know people don’t throw away their Lego bricks,” said Tim Brooks, vice president for environmental responsibility at the Lego Group. “The vast majority hand them down to their children or grandchildren. But others have asked us for a safe way to dispose of or to donate their bricks.” Available in the United States, Lego Replay pays for shipping of used blocks to the nonprofit organization Give Back Box, which inspects, cleans, and repackages the toys. Most of the bricks initially will go to Teach for America or Boys and Girls Club sites.

Dig deeper: Read more about Lego Replay and print a shipping label to send in your kids’ old bricks.