Credit and cash cards are usually made from a mixture of resin and plastic
which does not degrade, so they hang around in landfills for many years. But now
Inter Bio Cards of Switzerland has come up with a material for making
biodegradable cards (WO 00/48121). First, water reeds are crushed and the fibres
are squeezed through an endless screw. Then the mush is mixed with adhesive and
a plasticiser, and dried it to form granules from which manufacturers can mould
cards. The biocards survive normal use, but rot and disappear when discarded.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Technology
We should decide how AI shapes the future, not tech firms
Comment
Technology
Quantum voting could make elections more secure
News
Technology
DeepMind AI gives an extra day of warning ahead of deadly cyclones
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles