Credit cards for compost heaps

Credit cards, which many say are bad for our wealth, are bad for the planet as well, according to Greenpeace. The environmental pressure group will next week launch what it calls the world's first biodegradeable credit card.

Shopaholics won't see the card disintegrate as they spend. Nor, says Greenpeace, will it rot away in any but the most unopened pockets. Instead the card will be virtually free of PVC, making it biodegradable if left in a compost heap.

The environmental group hopes the launch of the card will highlight its campaign against the production and disposal of PVC, which is considered highly polluting.There are 40m credit cards in the UK - although use of PVC in this way pales into insignificance compared with its use in building, packaging and elsewhere.

It is not clear whether the card will feel different from others, but purists will be disappointed to hear that it will not be entirely PVC- free: the technology is not yet available to make the magnetic strip without this ingredient.

Whether other credit card companies will change the composition of their own cards in response also remains to be seen. But even Greenpeace does not expect the card to have a major impact on financial aspects of theUK's highly competitive credit card industry.

The card is being issued by the Co-operative Bank, and will earn donations for Greenpeace according to usage.