This article originally appeared in the June 2023 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
Sustainability is a buzzword. For sure. But at some point, buzzwords gain enough momentum to actually make a major impact, and at some point in the near future (if not already), your customers will be asking for help to achive it.
Did you know that scientists and health organizations call PVC the single worst form of plastic on this planet? The reason is because it is not biodegradable, and during the centuries-long process of degrading, it gives off a number of toxic materials into the air, water and soil.
The vast majority, if not all, access control and identification cards used by organizations for security are made of PVC; however, they are not the primary culprit of PVC in landfills. That is a dubious title easily held by credit, debit and gift cards – 10 billion of which are newly created every year. That said, HID Global reports 550 million PVC access cards sold annually, which creates 2,700 tons of plastic waste.
How do we keep PVC out of landfills?
Setting aside the use of mobile credentials (assuming correctly that there are plenty of end-users who require a physical credential), the first and easiest option is recycling. There are no specific numbers (or even anecdotes) on how many security access cards are thrown in the trash every year, but there are certainly recycling options.
There’s a whole cottage industry of ways to re-use PVC cards. I found many companies that offer recycled PVC cards and ones that will take your expired badges and reform them for use with a new person.
While designed for credit and gift cards, some recycling centers allow users to send in plastic cards for recycling. These companies break the plastic cards down and create new plastic products from the material. I discovered a U.K.-based company called NatWest that has made “Reverse Vending Machines” that accept plastic cards that are shredded to wipe details from the item. The pieces are sent to a recycling plant to become something new – in this case, hats and socks for London’s homeless population.
The Smart Payment Association (SPA) reports that more than 100 million payment cards manufactured from non-first-use PVC were expected to be issued in 2022. “Currently, there’s a very strong focus on rPVC (recycled PVC),” explained Thomas Decker, VP of Product Marketing for smart card manufacturer Linxens, and a member of the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA). “This is due to its low cost, good availability, and ease to process. However, in the future, we’ll see a much higher diversification regarding card body materials.”
Decker writes that beyond the recycling trend, some companies are exploring alternative materials for eco-friendly cards, such as thermoplastic polyester and wood.
The Bamboo Era?
For the security industry, that exploration came to fruition in May, when HID Global introduced what I consider to be a game-changer in the sustainability arena – a handheld access card that isn’t made of PVC plastic, but instead made of bamboo.
While bamboo is technically not “wood” (it is actually a grass), it is an achievement in sustainability. HID’s new Seos card is a secure access control credential made from sustainably sourced bamboo certified by the Forestry Stewardship Commission (FSC).
Based on their respective datasheets, these cards are every bit as secure as a PVC card, with AES-128 cryptographic algorithms for data protection, TÜViT certification, mutual authentication protocol and attack resistance. The only difference is the bamboo can’t be bent, and it needs to avoid humid and wet environments.
“Bamboo cards currently cost quite a bit more to manufacture, but we limited the price premium to ~10% higher than plastic,” explains Martin Huddart, Senior VP and Managing Director of Physical Access Control at HID. “We are close to launching a paper credential (for visitors) and later this year we will launch a PLA biodegradable plastic card.”
Yes, there may be a small premium for alternative cards, but it is a physical step toward sustainability, and such a solution may be exactly what your customers – many of whom have been tasked with corporate sustainability initiatives – are looking for.
Paul Rothman is Editor-in-Chief of Security Business magazine. Email him your comments and questions at [email protected]. Access the current issue, full archives and apply for a free subscription at www.securitybusinessmag.com.
