Image: Vodafone’s new recycled plastic SIM card is expected to slash the company’s plastic footprint by 320 tonnes a year | Credit:Vodafone
New SIM card produced using recycled plastic to be made available across Europe from this month
Vodafone is introducing Eco-SIM cards made from recycled plastic across its European markets, as part of the company’s commitment to reduce its environmental impact. From October, the company will begin rolling out Eco-SIMs to replace plastic SIM cards across all 12 of its European markets, as well as in Egypt, Turkey, and South Africa. The new cards will be available in the UK from 1 April 2022.
The new SIM cards are be made in the same half-sized format as the card holders Vodafone introduced in 2020, which have already served to slash the company’s plastic use by around 340 tonnes a year. The Eco-SIM is expected to further cut Vodafone’s plastic footprint by 320 tonnes each year, saving 1,280 tonnes of CO2 equivalent by removing the need to manufacture new plastic.
“Our ultimate aim is to remove plastic SIM cards entirely, but switching to Eco-SIMs, made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, is a big step in the right direction,” said Ahmed Essam, CEO of Vodafone UK. “This is one of many changes we’re making to help us and our customers reduce our impact on the planet. In addition to the introduction of Eco-SIM, our business is now powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity, we’re extending our device reuse and recycling schemes and we’ve eliminated single-use plastic packaging from our deliveries. We’ll be introducing Eco-SIMs for all of our customers in the UK from 1 April 2022.”
The company is also aiming to end the need for physical SIM cards entirely, with the introduction of eSIM cards, which are already available in European markets, according to the company. As such the Eco-SIM is being rolled out while customers are still in need of a physical card until eSIMS become more widespread, the company said.
The move follows Vodafone’s elimination of all unnecessary plastic and disposable single-use items from its stores and offices in 2020. The company latest innovation is also part of Vodafone’s wider push to achieve net zero emissions across its UK operations by 2027 and for its full global carbon footprint by 2040.
Article Credit: businessgreen