The new plant will be recycling Guardian™ polymer banknotes at the end of their useful life, transforming old notes into polypropylene pellets, which will then find their way into a wide range of new plastic products, including garden furniture, and building materials.
According to CCL Secure, as well as delivering a much reduced risk of counterfeiting, significantly longer life in circulation, and cleaner surface that’s less likely to harbour bacteria, polymer banknotes are also more environmentally sustainable than paper alternatives.
‘The ability to recycle polymer banknotes is only one of the ways in which polymer is more environmentally friendly than paper,’ commented Dr Tim Berridge, Director of R&D, Marketing and Design with CCL Secure. ‘The production of raw materials, the environmental cost of distributing banknotes, and durability all contribute to make polymer more attractive than paper.’
His comments are borne out by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies carried out by the Bank of Canada, Bank of England and Banco de Mexico, all of which have looked at the environmental impact of both polymer and paper banknotes throughout the cash cycle, from initial production to final disposal.
CCL Secure Mexico was established in 2007 as the compoany’s second polymer production plant after Melbourne (the company now has three production sites, the third being in Wigton in the UK). Guardian has now been used in 160 denominations around the world, and the intended market for the new recycling centre, the first of its kind in the industry, is global.
In August, in a further move to reinforce the reputation for sustainability of polymer banknotes, CCL Industries became an official partner of the Global Commitment to the New Plastics Economy, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (which aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems).
Geoffrey T Martin, President and CEO of CCL Industries Inc. said: ‘this is a milestone on our journey towards making the company a sustainability leader in our industry with responsible supply chain operations and innovative products for customers and consumers globally.’
