Hot Wheel’s toy cars can in fact be recycled using Mattel’s very own recycling program for toy cars and dolls, which will in turn transform old toys into new ones. Hot Wheels cars are made up of an alloy of zinc and aluminum metals, along with some plastic; as part of the procedure of Mattel’s recycling program, the Hot Wheel cars can be sorted, processed to be either recycled or broken down to turn into energy.
The parent company Mattel’s recycling program focuses on unwanted toys; the buyers can send in their old Mattel toys such as Hot Wheels which will then be turned into new toys by recycling and breaking down the component which make up a Hot Wheel’s car. This initiative was introduced as a sustainable measure to reduce the burden on landfills and our environment.
This article goes on in detail to explain the composition of a Hot Wheel’s toy car, how they’re made, and how they can be recycled in order to be more environmentally friendly.
Are Hot Wheels Cars Recyclable?
Yes, Hot Wheels cars are indeed recyclable granted the material they’re made out of is biodegradable and can be broken down to either release energy or converted into other forms. Hot Wheel’s parent company Mattel has recently engaged in a recycling program where it takes in old and used Mattel toys such as Hot Wheels and Barbie dolls from consumers and turns them into new toys by processing.
Along with this, there are other sustainable companies that use toys like Hot Wheels and process them to turn into colorful furniture for consumer use; this way the Mattel products are recycled without putting much strain on the environment.
What Are Hot Wheels Cars Made Of?
Hot Wheels are collectible toy cars made of an alloy of zinc and aluminum, a metal more commonly known as zamac. According to the Hot Wheels Fandom, along with metals, plastic is also used in the manufacturing of its structure (windows and wheels).
Are Hot Wheels Metal or Plastic?
Throughout the years the manufacturing of Hot Wheels has seen drastic changes, although the main framework remains the same. A very common question concerning the materials that make up a Hot Wheels toy car is; Are they made of metal or plastic? They can be made of both, plastic or metal.
Even though most Hot Wheels cars are made of a combination of metal alloys and plastics, some are composed entirely of either plastic or metal. In the past, the collectible cars were manufactured using all metal components (zinc and aluminum alloys, nickel plated axles), but in the recent times, the parent company has also experimented with all plastic made cars (all-acetal plastic) for durability and cost minimization.
Are Hot Wheels Eco-Friendly?
Even though Hot Wheel cars manufactured until now were only semi-recyclable, all that is bound to change under Mattel’s “Playback” recycling program, which will not only recycle old toys into new ones, but will also focus on sustainable packaging for those cars as well as using materials that are 100% recyclable in the manufacturing of their toy cars by 2030.
Prior to this initiative, any toy cars including Hot Wheels were proven to be hazardous to the environment because of their non-biodegradable nature. They also generated a generous amount of plastic waste which put a burden on our landfills, oceans and produced greenhouse gases which only perpetuated the ailing situation of our ozone layer.
How Do You Recycle Mattel Toys?
As a part of Mattel’s takeback or “Playback” initiative, as an owner of Hot Wheels toy cars you can now send the cars back if per se you tire of them or want to discard them. This can be done by printing out a free postage label from Mattel’s official website, using which you’ll pack up your used Hot Wheels cars and post them to Mattel’s official warehouse.
The company will then sort out the toys you send, process them, and decide what to do with them based on their composition (recycle, down cycle, or conversion to energy). Mattel is also planning to engage into a circular economy model, which will prove to be even more eco-friendly and place less burden on the environment.
What Is the Circular Economy Model Adopted by Mattel?
The circular economy model is a business model based on the processes of consumption and production, and the main idea of it is sharing, reusing, repairing, exhuming, and refurbishing products to last a long time instead of discarding them as soon as an opportunity appears. The goal is to reuse until finally recycling and the expectancy is to become more environmentally conscious and aware in our production and consumption choices.
What Are the Advantages of Recycling Hot Wheels Cars?
Because of Mattel’s Playback initiative, the plastic they’ll use is going to be 100% recyclable or somewhere close to that percentage. This in turn will reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up at landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prove to be sustainable for the environment.
This will also make it easier for other recycling companies to accept Mattel products easily now since their composition is so easily recyclable and degradable. Hence it can be broken down to either release energy or made into other products for a prolonged usage.
Final Thoughts
Toy cars are products that generate a lot of wastage, mainly because of the plastic components they consist of and their non-biodegradable nature. Luckily, most toy companies including Mattel, the maker of Hot Wheels have engaged in a sustainable recycling program named “Playback” which will solve many of our planet’s environmental degradation issues.
This is a great step from the parent company in a move towards making their production more environmentally friendly and healthy for the environment. This will not only improve their production function but also have a positive impact on their reputation amongst other competitors and the industry as a whole.
This positive impact will pave the way for other similar companies to follow suit, and work together towards a sustainable production function in order to exhume our one and only planet.