Disney accused of hypocrisy for pumping out plastic Frozen 2 toys while film promotes eco-friendly message

Victoria Bell
Updated
Frozen 2 tells a fantastical tale infused with an environmental message as "Frozen sisters" Elsa and Anna try to save humanity and the environment. (Disney)
Frozen 2 tells a fantastical tale infused with an environmental message as "Frozen sisters" Elsa and Anna try to save humanity and the environment. (Disney)

Plastic campaigners have accused Disney of hypocrisy for churning out plastic Frozen 2 dolls destined for landfill, while promoting an eco-friendly agenda.

With the second instalment of the popular children's film hitting screens ahead of Christmas, children are likely to hound their parents for plastic keepsakes, with some having already sold out.

But plastic pollution campaigners Friends of the Earth have criticised the toys from the film, arguing that they are at odds with the overall message, according to the Telegraph.

The film tells a fantastical tale infused with an environmental message as "Frozen sisters" Elsa and Anna try to save humanity and the environment.

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HASBRO on 2/19 - A demonstrator in the Hasbro, Inc. showroom during the American International Toy Fair showcases the DISNEY FROZEN PLAY-A-MELODY ELSA doll which enables kids to play the hit song "Let It Go" as well as songs of their own creation in New York. The musical gown on the DISNEY FROZEN PLAY-A-MELODY ELSA doll doubles as a keyboard with light up snowflake keys and provides kids with three different ways to play music. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision for Hasbro/AP Images)
A demonstrator plays with a play-a-melody Elsa doll at the American International Toy Fair (AP Images)

The first film saw the "Frozen Effect" made millions for merchandisers, with the licensing segment of entertainment and characters accumulating $107.2 billion.

Must-have plastic figurines which have been released to promote the film and are set to be under thousands of Christmas trees this year.

But environmentalists say that as plastic toys take up space in homes, they often end up contributing to the massive amount of plastic ending up in landfill and oceans.

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Julian Kirby, plastics pollution campaigner with Friends of The Earth, told the Telegraph: “This film has pushed a strongly progressive narrative appealing just as much to parents as Elsa and Anna have to children.

Asian engineer checking the recyclable materials (waste),Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new,useful products,Business environment engineer concept.
However campaigners accuse the company of worsening the scourge of plastic pollution by making toys destined for landfill. (Getty)

"If the franchise wants to keep inspiring young audiences it should recognise that anti-pollution messages will chime with them far more than pumping out another predictable range of plastic destined for landfill.

"Disney has spoken about reducing their environmental impact so cutting out frivolous plastic would be a positive step on their way to sustainability.”

The Walt Disney Company announced a ban on single-use plastic straws last year.

The ban will "amount to a reduction of more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers annually," the company said.

NAPLES, CAMPANIA, ITALY - 2019/11/18: Plastic waste and debris underwater carried by the storm of the last days at sea. The bad weather that hit Naples has caused much damage to the beaches. (Photo by Salvatore Laporta/KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Environmentalists say that as plastic toys finish taking up space in homes, they often end up contributing to the massive amount of plastic ending up in landfill and oceans. (Associated Press)

Recycling Association chief executive Simon Ellin warned against purchasing non-recyclable toys at Christmas.

Some of the most popular Frozen toys feature sound and light, which make them non- recyclable, the publication said.

Whilst we don't know exactly how much of the plastic that ends up in landfill comes from toys, green campaigners say that consumers can help reduce the amount in circulation.

Friends of the Earth says there are ways to cut back on buying plastic toys - like toy libraries, passing toys on, buying less, borrowing off friends and sharing more.

Yahoo news have approached Disney for comment.