Phasing out plastic

A NEW, almost completely biodegradable credit card was jointly launchedby the Greenpeace and the Co-operativebank at the Design Museum, London,on May 7. This is the first time thata card which is 99.9 per cent polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-free has been produced. 'The card is made of a biodegradable material, known as Biopol,produced from cereal plants. "TheGreenpeace card is a real break-through for the environment," saidPeter Melchet, executive director,Greenpeace. While the Biopol plastic isitself 100 per cent PVC-free, the magnetic strip attached to it and some of the inks still contain traces of PVC.

Greenpeace has been highlightingalternatives to PVC for many years aspart of an international campaignagainst the polluting plastic. The production and disposal of PVC releasesharmful chemicals like dioxin which isthe most toxic synthetic chemical.Dioxin is also known as a hormone disrupter and carcinogen.

At present there are 564 millioncredit card holders worldwide. Besides,