How green is your smart card?

It may not be the most obvious source of waste and carbon emissions, but given that all of us probably carry at least two or three bank and smart cards, their environmental impact can soon add up.

This week, Dutch digital security giant Gemalto announced plans to tackle the problem with the launch of what it claims is the world's first biodegradable smart card to be made from bioplastic.

The company did not provide precise details of the material it has used, but said the new cards were made from renewable material, were easy to recycle, compostable, and could be incinerated without emissions of toxic fumes.

It added that the new material would be used in a bio-sourced smart banking card and a bio-sourced SIM card, each of which are compliant with industry standards in their respective sectors.

Tan Teck Lee, chief innovation and technology officer at the company, said that the new cards had been developed in response to a long-standing demand from banks and other firms for environmentally friendly cards, and as result the company is expecting to see strong demand for the new cards.

The cards are the latest in a series of green innovations from the company, which also offers a range of ABS and PETG-based cards that provide a chlorine-free alternative to PVC cards.