April 13, 2026 #HonestRecycling. Recycling of Plastic Cards

Why is this important?

Many people do not think about what to do with expired or simply unnecessary plastic cards: they usually throw them into the trash bin along with household waste. But behind this seemingly harmless act lies a serious environmental problem. Discount plastic cards are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — a material that is resistant to water, light, and temperature fluctuations. Thanks to these properties, it is durable and almost does not decompose: even a shredded card will pollute the environment for hundreds of years.

Putting the card in a container for plastic is not enough: they will not be able to be recycled together with other types of plastics. Regular equipment does not fit and can break down. The problem is in the heterogeneous composition: the card contains not only PVC of different densities, but also metal impurities, protective films, as well as paper and plastic stickers. All components require separate processing.

How are plastic cards recycled?

The recycling of plastic cards begins with shredding: first the shredder cuts it into strips, and then the material is crushed into a powdery state. The particle diameter eventually reaches about 200 microns. Visually, this powder resembles a mixture of flour with crushed rice: the particles are small but heterogeneous in size. The finished secondary raw material is supplied to building materials factories, from which, for example, baseboards, decorative corners, and sewer pipes are produced.

Who accepts plastic cards for recycling?

• Eco-centers and e-vehicles of “Sobirator” (Moscow, Khimki, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar, Voronezh) and “Sborki” (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod);

• Environmental actions such as “Separate Collection” (Moscow and Moscow region, Saint Petersburg and Leningrad region, Vladivostok, Novokuznetsk, Vologda, Khabarovsk, etc.), “Re.Action” (Moscow), “Rare Fraction” (Gatchina, Arkhangelsk, and Severodvinsk);

• Eco-boxes “Wallet” (all over Russia);

• “VkusVill” stores (throughout Russia).

More collection points can be found by searching for “Plastic card collection points” on the Recyclemap or in 2GIS.

Before handing over the discount card for processing, make sure that it is no longer active. This is especially relevant if there is any data on the card or it is linked to an account in the loyalty system.

How to reduce the number of plastic cards?

The rejection of plastic loyalty cards is becoming a noticeable ecological trend in Russia. At the initiative of the Russian ecological operator (REO), more and more companies are switching to electronic analogs. Among them are major grocery chains: “Vkusvill”, “Magnit”, “Perekrestok”, “Pyaterochka”, as well as “Sportmaster”, “Ulybka Radugi”, and “VinLab”.

A similar approach is used by some banks. Additionally, modern contactless payment methods allow reducing plastic consumption: payment stickers, smile payment, SBP, and electronic wallets.

“It can be assumed that if one Russian has five discount cards, then 10 million people have 50 million. Considering that one piece, measuring 86 by 54 millimeters, weighs 5 grams, it turns out to be 250 million kilograms of plastic in total,” notes Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Denis Butsaev. The measure is aimed at reducing plastic waste—it accounts for 50% of the structure of municipal solid waste (MSW).