Also the Barbie, the most famous doll in the world, becomes a symbol of sustainability and circular economy. The company that produces it, Mattel, has in fact launched a virtuous recycling initiative. It's called Mattel Playback and it was born from this assumption: it is true that children grow up and after some time they get bored with toys, but why leave them in the cellar or even worse throw them away, if instead the materials they are made of can be recovered and reused to make new items? It being understood that a toy (a doll in this case, but the project also concerns Matchbox toy cars and MEGA Bloks constructions) can always be given to other children, whether they are relatives or needy, or even to hospitals and charities, but the In the meantime, the American giant wants to do its part on environmental commitment: no more plastic waste, Barbies and other toys that are no longer needed will have a second life.
Where? For now only in the USA, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and France, which are the five pilot countries of the experiment. In order for it to have an appreciable result, the full collaboration of the families is necessary: in fact, they are the ones who, by registering on the Mattel website, have to return the unused toys, filling in a form and sending them in a package which is obviously prepaid by the company. So zero costs for customers, which, however, will not even have particular incentives other than the satisfaction of contributing to a just cause: "In fact, we rely a lot on the sensitivity of the younger generations", explains for example Christophe Salmon, head of Mattel France. The materials, mostly plastics, are shredded and recycled into the manufacture of other items, which aren't necessarily other toys. The inventors of Barbie have a stated goal: by 2030, 100% of its products and packaging must be made of recycled, recyclable or plant-based materials.
A commitment that cannot be postponed: every year in France alone, cites Les Echos, 120.000 tons of toys become waste. And they are also few, given that according to some studies, only 5% of dolls and toy cars are thrown in the garbage: due to their sentimental and family value, they lie in homes for up to 15 years. But it is also true that only 10% is recycled.
