A NEW ERA – POLYMER CURRENCY NOTES: 1988 Onwards
Advantages of Polymer Notes
While polymer currency technology was originally developed to make counterfeiting more difficult and costly, it also has advantages over paper currency in terms of durability and recycling.
Polymer notes last about four times longer than paper notes. Polymer substrate is more robust and resistant to damage from moisture, dirt, oils and household chemicals. This enhanced durability has resulted in a big reduction in the number of notes required and therefore in note printing costs.
The
longer life of polymer notes also means less waste, compared with paper
notes. A key environmental advantage is that polymer notes can be recycled
whereas waste from paper notes could only be buried or burnt.
Polymer notes no longer fit for use are granulated and then melted and blended into pellets. These pellets are the raw material for recycling.
A range of environmentally-friendly products can be produced using polymer note pellets including garden items such as compost bins, plumbing supplies such as grease traps and housebuilding items such as bricks and roof shingles.
