American Express to launch credit card made from ocean plastic

Using your credit card can sometimes be a guilty experience.

Fortunately, American Express is working to alleviate some of that guilt through the launch of a new card made entirely with plastic recovered from the ocean.

The new credit card, a world-first, is being produced with Parley for the Oceans, a marine conservation group which has worked with Adidas on a highly successful plastic sports shoe.

The card currently exists as a prototype but it is expected be made available to the public within the next 12 months.

“Our oceans play a vital role in our lives, the health of our planet and the health of travel and tourism, which American Express has long supported. It’s important that we raise awareness and do our part to keep our oceans blue,” said Doug Buckminster, a group president at American Express.

“Partnering with Parley is the right next step as we pursue our larger vision of backing our communities and sustaining the planet we share.”

The move is designed to raise awareness on the issue of plastic pollution and make a small dent in the estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic which is dumped in the world’s oceans each year. Latest figures show that American Express has produced 112.8 million credit cards worldwide.

“Every second breath we take is created by the oceans. Without them, we can’t exist. American Express is creating a symbol of change and inviting their network to shape a blue future, one based on creativity, collaboration and eco-innovation,” said Cyrill Gutsch, founder of Parley for the Oceans.

Alongside the new card, Amex has made a number of tentative commitments to reduce plastic waste across some of its business. It is planning to immediately remove single-use plastic straws from its major offices and airport lounges. This will form part of a more comprehensive waste reduction strategy to be released by the end of 2018.