Nationwide will offer ‘eco-friendly’ cards made from recycled plastic

Nationwide Building Society is to issue debit and credit cards made from recycled plastic, in a move it estimates will save 35 tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

The provider, which issues 5.4 million cards annually, said it is the first major UK bank or building society to take such a step.

Nationwide, which is the UK’s largest building society, has pledged to eliminate single-use plastics by 2025.

The new cards made from recycled PVC materials will be rolled out from next spring.

They will be issued to current account members first, before being rolled out across Nationwide’s product range.

The Society said the move is part of a wide focus on sustainability.

Claire Tracey, chief strategy and sustainability officer at Nationwide Building Society, said: “We’re proud to be the first high street lender in the UK to offer cards made from recycled plastics. Our members tell us that, despite the tough times right now, they still want to make the world a greener place.

“Earlier this year we became carbon neutral for energy and emissions for all internal operations and Society vehicles.  We’ve also set aside £1 billion for our members to borrow at a special low interest rate if they want to make their homes greener. Today’s news is another step for us in helping the UK to achieve net-zero by 2050 and a significant step in us eliminating single-use plastics by 2025.”

Nationwide currently offers customers an in-branch recycling service for expired cards.

The new “eco-friendly” cards will be produced in partnership with payment cards supplier Idemia.

Amanda Gourbault from Idemia said: “We’re proud to be a long-term partner of Nationwide Building Society and delighted to support the Society’s sustainability goals through the recycled plastics payment card, which is manufactured from sustainable resources and significantly reduces plastic waste.”