Environmental Impact Assessment of Toys Toward Sustainable Toy Production and Consumption in Japan

Japan’s toy market is the third largest in the world. However, the actual status of use and environmental impact of toys have not been fully studied. This study analyzes the environmental effects of wooden and plastic toys, considering their lifespan and disposal methods. A web-based survey of 1000 parents was conducted to determine the average lifespan and disposal method of toys. Additionally, a life cycle assessment was utilized to evaluate the environmental impact of common wooden and plastic toy cars across 14 environmental impact categories. Results showed that the average lifespans of wooden and plastic toys were estimated at 7.29 and 6.17 years, respectively; wooden toys had a slightly longer lifespan. Wooden toy cars had a smaller environmental impact than plastic toy cars in nine impact categories. Specifically, replacing plastic toy cars with wooden toy cars could reduce greenhouse gas emissions per toy car by 77%. However, wooden toy cars had a greater environmental impact than plastic toy cars in five categories. In a bid toward sustainable toy manufacturing by reducing environmental impact, it is important to use wooden materials made of logs from sustainably managed forests and decrease the utilization of plastic and metal parts and packaging materials.