LEGO Reduces Global Water Use by 56,000 m³ in 2024

In a major step towards its environmental sustainability objectives, the LEGO Group has made a sizeable drop in water usage in its global operations for the third year running. Based on its latest figures, the group was able to reduce its total factory water consumption by 56,000 cubic meters during the year 2024, leaving the total yearly consumption at 753,711 cubic meters. This continuous decline is part of LEGO's general strategy of decoupling business growth from environmental impact.

The reduction in water consumption showcases LEGO's dedication to prudent management of resources. As the company keeps developing and expanding its international presence, it is still dedicated to reducing its footprint on the environment by tackling top areas including carbon emissions, energy consumption, water savings, and waste elimination.

We are committed to reducing the effect of our operations on the environment," said the LEGO Group. "Our objective is decoupling growth from environmental impact."

While year-over-year reductions at all of LEGO's manufacturing locations were not experienced, most significant improvement emerged through site-specific innovation that addressed regional challenges and opportunities. One of the most notable accomplishments in 2024 was from the Monterrey, Mexico facility of the company, where a state-of-the-art water treatment system has been implemented. Its new advanced facility now treats municipal wastewater, HVAC condensate, and rainwater, significantly reducing freshwater and well-water usage by leaps and bounds. The outcome is an enormous saving of 85,055 cubic meters—equivalent to close to 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools. LEGO's success in the Monterrey plant reflects the company's priority in developing alternate sources of water and utilizing site treatment technologies as a way to minimize freshwater dependence.

More to the north in Billund, Denmark, LEGO has used a shallow groundwater capture system to provide 88% of the water used in cooling towers in 2023. This project not only decreases the factory's dependence on drinkable water but also shows how localized systems can be designed to utilize resources optimally without affecting operational efficiency.

At the same time, in Southeast Asia, LEGO's newly opened factory in Binh Duong, Vietnam, demonstrates the company's visionary approach to sustainable design. Accredited with the high-profile LEED Gold standard, the factory dispenses with conventional water cooling systems in favor of air-cooling technology. The plant also installed water-efficient fixtures and implemented condensate reuse systems to further minimize water usage. These upgrades are part of LEGO's overall aim to incorporate sustainability into all elements of its infrastructure from the outset.

The business recognizes that various sites present distinct solutions owing to varying weather conditions and levels of water scarcity. "We acknowledge that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to decrease our use of freshwater," LEGO said. "So we concentrate on three major strategies: efficiency gains, alternative sources, and treatment plants."

One interesting part of the strategy of LEGO is rethinking how much water is required for industrial processes. The company has explained that although the water employed must be of high quality to safeguard equipment, it does not have to be drinkable. This becomes an opening to a greater variety of sources of water, such as treated wastewater and harvested rainwater, which can be reused in their operations in a safe and efficient manner.

In the future, LEGO continues to reaffirm its environmental stewardship and sustainable development. The firm has stated unequivocally that water conservation is only one aspect of a broader strategy for lowering its overall environmental footprint while increasing access to LEGO play for children globally.

"Lessening the footprint of our operations, while sharing LEGO play with more children is a significant challenge," the company added. "We will continue to seek new opportunities to lessen our footprint in water, waste and carbon."

Through the use of innovative solutions that are specific to local requirements and the application of sustainable design in new manufacturing facilities, LEGO is providing a powerful model of corporate environmental responsibility. The achievements of 2024 show that through creativity, investment, and a well-defined strategy, even mass manufacturers can make significant contributions to worldwide sustainability efforts.