NatWest Bank starts to recycle credit cards

NatWest say that Brits have sent more than 76 million plastic cards to landfill since 2017, equating to 380t of waste.

According to the bank there are 65 million unused cards in UK homes and confusion over whether these are recyclable has contaminated 10.2 mllion batches of recycling.

The company wants Londoners to recycle their old plastic cards, card readers and bottles using new machines at Victoria place, Canary Wharf Shopping Centre at Guys and St Thomas' Hospital on London. 

These 'Reverse Vending Machines' are free for everyone, regardless of whether they are a NatWest customer or not.

The vending machines shred each card to wipe consumer details and the pieces are then securely stored and accessible to a designated driver who takes the waste to a recycling plant. 

Trials at the bank's Edinburgh and London offices last year recycled 35,000 cards and 2,000 bottles from testing sites, which were turned into 3,000 hats and pairs of socks. More than 400 were donated to Social Bite in December for homeless and vulnerable communities in London.

The bank says their new debit and credit cards are made of 86% recyclable material, which they say will save more than 50t of PVC.