I like to try and reduce the amount of disposable plastic I use, for several reasons. One thing that is unavoidable at the moment is bank cards, which have to be replaced every few years. I believe that one or two banks have used non-PVC based cards. Has looked into options for using a more sustainable material for the debit cards? I wonder if it’s now possible to make them from recycled plastic or a plastic that biodegrades (say, after 10 years)?
A good point! I haven’t looked much into this, to be honest, but will check with our card suppliers. I know at the very least our first ~500,000 cards will be PVC-based as we’ve already got the custom coloured core (the middle bit which is white at the moment) in manufacture.
That’s a lot of cards.
Back on topic, it would be nice for Monzo to keep an eye on and request this from the card manufacturers. Even if it isn’t super viable today, it’s certainly a direction I’d like my bank to be looking in.
I’d be cool with this so long as they were still durable and felt good.
@Anthony, Triodos just announced an ethical UK Current Account, and one of the features is:
…an eco-friendly contactless Mastercard© debit card made from natural plastic using renewable resources. We believe this card has the highest environmental credentials of any offered in the UK.
The card is made of an environmentally responsible alternative to traditional plastic such as PVC. This highly innovative new type of card material has been put through a rigorous testing process to confirm its suitability for use in a regularly handled debit card.
So it seems there are some options. Something for the next batch of cards?
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