Targeted to go green? Your guide to sustainable ID products
By James Kelly on January 22nd, 2020
As one of the UK’s most trusted access control and ID card specialists, we have an environmental responsibility, so we’re always introducing the latest eco-friendly ID products to help our customers become more sustainable.
Below, you’ll find a compete guide that’ll help you out if eco-friendly ID card products are a priority. Our guide examines why going green is important for all businesses, the difference you can make, the eco products currently on offer as well as considering recycling options in our industry.
1. Why is using sustainable ID cards important for your business?
Plastic is an extremely useful material. Take a look around and you’ll see it’s in pretty much everything: clothes, cars, crisp packets, bottles and of course plastic ID cards. It’s so popular because it’s inexpensive to produce and can be moulded into just about any shape. Last year, more than 359 million metric tons of plastic was produced, with 62 million metric tons produces for Europe alone.
Considering the environmental problems plastic causes, that’s far too much. It’s a problem that’s not going away unless we turn to more sustainable production methods and recycle more of what we use. But you may be asking yourself what the main problem with plastic is?
Aside from the energy consumption and emissions surrounding its production, the primary issue is that plastic is not biodegradable.
This means that it doesn’t decompose easily, resulting in it hanging around for hundreds of years.
Globally, 40% of plastic products are designed for a single use. That’s not great, considering the products themselves will last for centuries – especially when an increasing amount are ending up in landfill and worse – our oceans. Around 8 million pieces of plastic find their way into our waters every day.
Single-use plastics include drinks bottles, food packaging, carrier bags and, to a lesser extent, ID cards and their associated products. Ok, an identity or access control card isn’t going to immediately be thrown away, but they do have a lifespan and at the end of their life they won’t be reused.
They are a fundamental security asset for organisations, which is why we know it’s important to make our products as eco-friendly as possible from the very start.
2. What difference do eco-friendly ID card products make?
By making the right choices, you can reduce your business’ carbon footprint and do your bit but the environment. But choosing eco-friendly, sustainable ID products can do more than that; It has the ability to impact your business too. Choosing eco-friendly products will show your customers and employees that your organisation prioritises the environment, and that by using your services or working for you, they are doing their bit for the environment.
For some sectors such as education and public services, opting for the most sustainable products is no longer an option – it’s a necessity. With strict sustainability targets to meet, eco-friendly choices for identification and access control help meet the necessary quotas. ID cards might seem a relatively minor part of the bigger picture, but every little change helps. Depending on how many ID cards your organisation requires, you might be having a bigger impact that you think, particularly if you reissue cards relatively often.
3. What are the most environmentally friendly ID card products?
So, where do you start if you’re looking to implement more eco-friendly options? We’ll run through some key products that are the most sustainable ID card products currently available. Whether you’re looking for ID cards, ID card holders, ID card printers or lanyards, there are sustainable, eco-friendly products that are available right now. Below, we’ve taken a look at the main products currently available.
Biodegradable ID cards
Let’s take a look at ID cards. Traditionally, they’ve been made from PVC plastic (polyvinyl chloride). This is a popular choice because of its durability. After all, making an ID card from a material that is designed to remain intact indefinitely seemed appealing once upon a time. However, biodegradable cards are now available.
On the face of it, they offer exactly the same plus points as PVC cards: they are extremely durable, hard-wearing and match the quality of PVC. They can also be printed on with an ID card printer in exactly the same way.
However, the key difference is that these cards are designed to decompose at a much quicker rate if they are disposed of correctly. Thanks to their composition, they can degrade in as little as three years if disposed of in the correct manner.
For the decomposition process to work, they need to be left in a “fertile environment”. That means they need to be mixed into landfill or compost. Three years might seem like a long time, but compared to PVC cards that can last centuries in the same environment, that’s a big improvement.
Why use biodegradable ID card products?
- Biodegradable ID products decompose at a much quicker rate than traditional PVC materials.
- They can completely disappear within three years rather than 300 years if they are in a fertile environment.
Biodegradable card holders
It’s not just the ID cards that can pose a problem. If you use card holders to display identification badges, these are also made of PVC. Their robust construction makes them great at holding cards, but when it comes to their eco-credentials, they pose exactly the same problems as PVC cards. The solution? BioBadge.
Like biodegradable cards, BioBadge card holders are made up of a composite that allows them to degrade in a matter of years – rather than stick around for the next 300.
The additive ‘oxo-biodegradable’ is added during the production process, ensuring once the badge holder is left in the correct environment, it’ll decompose quickly. BioBadge holders are available in a range of colours and are the best ID card holder option if you’re trying to implement an eco-friendly ID system.
Eco-friendly lanyards
If you’re using ID cards and ID card holders, it’s safe to assume you’ll be using lanyards too. Whether you opt for personalised branded lanyards or a generic plain one, there are now eco-friendly alternatives that help to reduce the amount of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) used in lanyard production. The more common name for PET is polyster, and it’s found in nearly half the world’s clothing.
However, rPET (recycled PET) is becoming the sustainable, go-to alternative. Instead of using virgin material, rPET uses recycled plastic, helping reduce the amount going to landfill and ending up in oceans and emitting less emissions in its production process.
The quality of rPET lanyards is identical to those that use virgin material. We’re so confident in them that all our custom-printed lanyards are now made with rPET material.
While rPET is great at keeping plastics out of landfill, as a sustainable product they cannot compete with Bamboo lanyards. They are a more expensive option than PET or rPET, but they are 100% bio-degradable.
When they are no longer required, these lanyards will naturally degrade without releasing harmful gases.
4. rPET: How is it made? What are the benefits?
Recycled PET is made by melting down existing plastic products and spinning it into new pellets which can then be used to create something new. Lots of rPET is sourced from single-use plastic bottles, but it can actually be obtained from many other plastic objects that find their way into the plastic recycling bin. The steps to creating rPET lanyards is detailed below to the left hand side.
There are numerous benefits to using rPET material instead of virgin material in the production of lanyards. Firstly, rPET is made from recycled plastics that would otherwise end up in landfill, oceans or waterways.
This helps reduce the amount of detritus single-use plastics entering our oceans, which currently stands at 8 million metric tons per year. At the current rate, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.
Secondly, rPET doesn’t require as much energy to make, and the production process significantly lowers CO2 output compared with virgin polyester. According to a 2017 study:
From plastic to fabric in four simple steps
- The bottles and other single-use plastics are thoroughly cleaned ready to be processed.
- The plastics are shredded into pellets ready to be melted down to create rPET.
- The pellets are melted down and re-spun to create rPET material.
- The rPET material is woven into fabric to produce rPET lanyards.
The benefits of rPET lanyards
- rPET production uses 59% less energy than equivalent virgin material.
- rPET production generates 32% less CO2 emissions.
- rPET helps reduce the amount of single-use plastics going into the oceans and landfill sites.
- rPET material is just as strong and durable as virgin polyester.
5. Can you recycle ID cards, card holders and lanyards?
Can you recycle PVC ID cards and ID card holders?
In theory, PVC plastic cards are infinitely recyclable. Depending on its original application, PVC can be recycled as many as eight times. This is because the PVC molecules don’t change when they are melted down. However, things get more complicated when it comes to ID cards and access control cards. If your card contains technology such as magstripe or internal chips, or if it features any form of metallic hologram or external markings, it’s not easy to recycle through standard household waste disposal.
The other issue that comes with recycling ID cards is that many will display personal information. For companies to remain GDPR compliant, it’s necessary to use secure shredding services to dispose of items like ID cards. You’ll have to ask your supplier whether or not the cards are recycled; it will often depend on if the cards are contaminated or uncontaminated. If your cards feature metallic pieces or technology, it’s likely they will be considered contaminated.
Can you recycle lanyards?
Can you recycle PVC card holders?
PVC card holders, on the other hand, are easier to recycle because they do not contain technology or metal. It’s always a good idea to reuse these card holders as much as possible, and once you buy your ID card holders – whether PVC or BioBadge – they should last indefinitely.
6. Ready to buy eco-friendly ID card products?
Ready to become more sustainable? If you’re planning on implementing a more eco-friendly ID card system, you can shop in our store right now.
If you need more advice and guidance when it comes to access control, you can find lots more useful tips, advice, support and guides in our dedicated hub. Alternatively, give our helpful staff a ring on the number below.
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