Earthworks® Introduces 100% Recycled PVC Sheet For Plastic Cards
SOLON, Ohio, March 9, 2011 – Earthworks System LLC, announced the release of color-matched 100-percent recycled PVC sheet material for gift, loyalty, membership, and credit cards.
Earthworks System™ offers retailers, distributors, and printers a way to keep cards out of landfills and save energy, recovering waste throughout the PVC supply chain from manufacturing runouts and skeletons to obsolete inventory and post-consumer used gift cards. The various forms are recycled into sheet material that is virtually indistinguishable in performance from virgin PVC. Earthworks plastic is used in a wide variety of applications including gifts cards, hotel key cards, promotional cards, IDs, and signage.
This new sheet uses 100 percent recycled PVC. The colored material, suitable for direct printing as well as being sandwiched between sheets of an alternate color, differentiates the card from all others by providing a custom-colored card edge.
“The introduction of this product line gives retailers an option to enhance brand loyalty and supports Earthworks in continuing its mission of marrying sustainability with good business,” said Rodd Gilbert, Earthworks President and CEO. “The new color capability creates dynamic looking cards that visually reinforce branding. And the color has no effect on recyclability.”
This program is the latest of Earthworks’ card recycling efforts. In November, Earthworks supplied Dallas-based card manufacturer Performance Card Solutions with 100 percent recycled PVC and an eco-friendly content identifier system. This identifier system indicates cards manufactured using recycled or virgin PVC, which integrates with current card programs, allowing retailers using cards made of recycled or virgin PVC to brand them as eco-friendly. Retailers and consumers can also return the cards to Earthworks for recycling.
Of the company, vice president Jeff Bainter said, “Performance Card Solutions is fully dedicated to providing our customers with environmentally friendly options. We can be sure that cards made with the Earthworks product and/or identifiers are of high quality.”
Earthworks recycled and recyclable PVC can be used to enhance any of Performance Card Solutions gift cards, loyalty and membership cards, key tags, or phone cards.
Earthworks also teamed up with LOC International TM last year, to supply a 50 percent pre-consumer recycled PVC keycard for hotel access and security equipment. The recycled keycards are guaranteed compatible with all major locking systems. With more than 10 million generic keycards in stock, LOC International specializes in branded and personalizing keycards to suit any hotel’s needs.
Richard Tanguay, president of LOC International, says “LOC is fully dedicated to providing our customers with environmentally friendly options. We are happy to offer this recycled hybrid PVC keycard, and can ensure that guest’s keycards are of perfect quality while helping to contribute to a greener environment.”
Gilbert noted, “Millions of plastic cards enter landfills every year and consumers are concerned. Our plastic cards can be continually recycled into new cards making consumers feel good about helping the environment.”
For more information, go to: www.performancecards.com, www.locinternational.com, and www.earthworkssystem.com
The Vinyl Institute represents the leading manufacturers involved in the production of PVC/vinyl resin in the United States, and promotes the value of PVC/vinyl products to society.
For more information on The Vinyl Institute, contact:
Jeffrey B. Palmer
Director of Marketing & Communications
The Vinyl Institute
571-970-3327
jpalmer@vinylinfo.org
Also go to www.vinylindesign.com, www.vinylnewsservice.net, and www.achievegreen.net.