Payment cards with Thales Gemalto collection and recycling services

Transforming payment cards for a more sustainable future with circular economy solutions

Enterprise
Financial services
Digital payment solutions

This service gives expired payment, loyalty and transport cards a second life. By reusing metals and plastics, we cut waste, protect resources, lower GHG emissions and drive more sustainability.

Card Recycling: Transform Expired Cards into Sustainable Products and Support Circular Economy

Recycle expired cards into sustainable products, reduce waste and emissions, and support circular economy goals.

Secure cards collection

Thales kiosk ensures the secure, sustainable collection and destruction of expired payment cards at designated drop-off points.
Payment cards recycling

Reduce environmental impact by recycling payment, loyalty and transport cards into new products, supporting a sustainable circular economy.
Second-life products

Expired cards are turned into valuable new products, with metals and plastics separated and reused in their respective recycled materials markets for sustainability.
Less toxic, less polluting

Recycling plastic cuts CO₂ emissions, toxic waste and pollution, making it a more eco-friendly option than producing virgin plastic or managing end-of-life with incineration.
Circular economy solutions

Recycle and transform expired cards into valuable recycled materials, reducing landfill waste, protecting virgin ressources and supporting sustainability.
Boost brand reputation

Demonstrate more environmental responsibility with initiatives in payment card collection and recycling, enhancing brand trust and loyalty.

Sustainable collection and recycling services for payment cards

Thales offers solutions for collecting and recycling payment, loyalty and transport cards. Expired cards are transformed into sustainable second-life products, reducing the use of virgin PVC and end-of-life management with harmful incineration or landfill. This solution supports the circular economy, enhances brand reputation and helps businesses meet sustainability goals, reducing waste and pollution.

Thales Gemalto collection and recycling of payment cards

Thales partnered with Papa Cartão in Brazil to collect and recycle expired payment cards, supporting the banking and meal voucher sectors. Manual shredding requires no electricity and shredded waste is used to create second-life products such as cup holders and notebooks. By the end of 2024, more than 78,000 cards had been collected, promoting greater sustainability and having a scalable global impact.

Innovative Features of Thales Gemalto Collection and Recycling Solution

Thales' card collection and recycling solution reduces waste by transforming expired payment cards into second-life products. When it comes to PVC recycling and recycled PVC material reuse, our process cuts carbon emissions by 94% compared with virgin PVC production (SRP, Jan 2024). It offers a sustainable alternative to landfill or incineration, minimising environmental impact and supporting organisations' sustainability goals.

Cards collection and shredding kiosk — © Thales (Muriel Charriere)

Thales' collection and recycling kiosk ensures a secure card disposal and responsible handling of expired payment, loyalty and transport cards. Cards are securely collected, shredded and then transformed into eco-friendly second-life products such as cups, holders, notebooks. The initial collection and shredding process enables non-secure transport to the recycler and guarantees GDPR compliance, security and data protection while promoting sustainability.