Last month we blogged the introduction of Credit Cards in America made from biodegradable BioPVC and mentioned that this material has also been used in Hotel Key Cards, an industry that in America alone puts an estimated 1,300 tons of plastic into our landfills annually.
The good news is that in the last couple of years, biodegradable key cards have dramatically risen in popularity and availability. Last year the Marriot chain in the US started phasing in Key Cards made with 50% recycled material, soon all the 24 million key cards the company buys each year will be ‘Green’.
BioPVC, which contains enzymes that allow the material to biodegrade in less than 5 years, is not the only option hotels have when it comes to green key cards. The other 2 major offerings are Agri Cards, made out of plant material, and reNew Cards, which uses recycled plastics in its manufacturing process. These options are primarily distributed in the US through usfi Greenworks and Pineapple Hospitality.
Another option from Sustainable Cards that only last made its debut at the Democratic National Convention, are Wooden cards made from PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certified wood.
With this much choice, it will be easy for hotels to find a variant to suit their environmental focus / message and with there being very little difference in costs when compared to the PVC option, they will have no excuse not to adopt these cards.
