What Do You Do with Plastic Gift Cards Once You've Used It?

able on 10/09/2023 - 12:38
Last edited 10/09/2023 - 13:30 by 1 other user

Hi everyone, with so many gift cards on offer from time to time, how do you dispose of all the used plastic gift cards?

Is there an option to dispose them through recycling rather than throw them in the bin?
What about your expired credit or debit cards?

I'm genuinely curious to know. I try to buy e- cards these days where possible but special gift card offers in supermarkets would be hard to ignore. Hoping to do right for the environment when it comes to all the plastic we can help reduce. Looking forward to some suggestions. Thanks!

Poll Options

  • 99
    Chuck in the bin, who cares...
  • 1
    Return to retailer, it's their problem to sort!
  • 4
    Lucky me, there's a recycler. Details below
  • 13
    I just accumulate them, love to stack them
  • 17
    Something else, see forum
Financial

Comments

  • brokenglish on 10/09/2023 - 12:46
    -3

    The different bins go to the same place. Australia is not there yet.

    • freefall101 on 10/09/2023 - 19:17
      +6

      I don’t know why this is such a common misconception, but recycling works fine in this country.

      The biggest problem is contaminates, so the people who throw whatever shit they want in each bin is the real problem.

      Well, that and recycling plastic doesn’t really work over many cycles. But glass, paper and metals should be recycled really carefully.

      • brokenglish on 10/09/2023 - 21:37
        -1

        Misconception? I literally saw the garbage truck in my apartment throwing the general bins and recycling bins into the same container.
        I asked the dude about it and he said it is what it is.

        • freefall101 on 10/09/2023 - 23:42
          +3

          Obviously your apartment building is representative of Australia. Do they use private contractors or work with local councils?

        • smalltime0 on 17/09/2023 - 07:55

          erm.. do this thing called calling someone?

  • holdenmg on 10/09/2023 - 12:46
    +1

    How do recycled gift cards help make energy?

    The PVC and plastic from gift cards has a high calorific value - this is the amount of energy contained in fuel or food. The PVC and plastic is used to fuel cement kilns. By following this process, environmental toxins from the PVC and plastic are captured by the cement, as opposed to being an emission into the environment during the alternate process of incineration. Cement and concrete are also highly recyclable themselves.

    The cardboard from the recycled gift cards is recycled and made into new cardboard, which is then used by businesses who use cardboard for various packaging needs.
    https://cards.woolworths.com.au/cards-talk/woolworths-gift-c…

    • able on 10/09/2023 - 13:31

      I did read this but I don't think there's collection bin in my local Woolies that takes cards for recycling… might have to look around…

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 10/09/2023 - 12:47
    +4

    Possible uses:

    Ninja death stars

    Make Elaborate cup coasters (just add resin, dremel kit, blowtorch, sunflower seeds, sandpaper and a random diy video on TikTok )

    Keep in ya wallet, for those times there’s a wobbly table and or chair when you’re eating out

    Set up a decoy wallet when you go to a tourist trap rife with pickpockets and scammers

    • able on 10/09/2023 - 13:32

      Hahaha, this gave me a good chuckle!

  • mskeggs on 10/09/2023 - 12:54
    +4

    I don't have that many, but use them to pry open electronics, and as scrapers for ice on my winter windscreen or remove label goo from smooth surfaces.
    When the edges are destroyed I have just binned them, but it seems they can be recycled.

    I've also seen a hole punch that makes guitar plectrum shaped cut outs (though I would think they would suck for playing)

    • able on 10/09/2023 - 13:33

      Good idea, repurpose them!

      • avoidfullprice on 10/09/2023 - 14:59

        I’ve been making guitar plugs out of them for years!

    • freefall101 on 10/09/2023 - 19:47
      +3

      Great for bassists, they use a thicker pick and have no idea what they're doing anyway because they're bassists.

  • Motek Benzona on 10/09/2023 - 13:22

    Chop and line up coke for me and me julies

    • Cheaplikethebird on 11/09/2023 - 09:14

      Always good to keep a couple spare plastics in the party drawer 😂

  • Aureus on 10/09/2023 - 13:36
    +2

    I collect them as a trophy to consumerism.

  • Some Human on 10/09/2023 - 14:02
    +7

    They're good for spacers, washers, silicone scrapers, wall puttying etc.

    • AnneThrope on 10/09/2023 - 14:33
      +3

      Same here - I have a bundle in the workshop.

      Good for all those uses, plus
      shims
      glue sandpaper to for awkward sanding jobs
      mixing epoxy
      and so on.

      • bdl on 10/09/2023 - 15:28
        +1

        mixing epoxy

        this

    • freefall101 on 10/09/2023 - 19:48
      +1

      Had to redo a tile today, couldn't imagine life without them.

      Also perfect for putting thermal paste on CPUs/GPUs, easy way to get that super thin layer.

    • skillet on 14/09/2023 - 17:48
      +2

      They are super useful card stock. I sometimes cut them to specific lengths or width for a quick rough measurement instead of using a ruler. Sometimes I also mark them at certain lengths and dispose them when used. So I don't have to clean marks off my steel rules. I also use these as a machinist angle square to check my drill press at right angle. They are also good anti scratching scrapers, just trim off the edges when blunt and you get a new sharp edge.

  • JIMB0 on 10/09/2023 - 15:30
    +3

    I'm going to tile a room or 2 with them when I get time.

  • Hydralyte on 10/09/2023 - 16:12

    Shred them in my shredder cause it's fun to shred cards

  • payless69 on 10/09/2023 - 17:28
    -3

    Sell them on Scumtree with a burner number!

  • DoctorCalculon on 10/09/2023 - 19:19

    What about your expired credit or debit cards

    These always go through the shredder.

  • AustriaBargain on 10/09/2023 - 21:40

    Just put it in the bin. Wall-E will collect them all hundreds of years from now and turn them into something useful. He'll at least sort them into piles.

  • zanzir on 10/09/2023 - 23:36
    -1

    use one as my dough cutter when making bread

  • mischke on 11/09/2023 - 08:30

    I also use them as a non-porous surface to apply ant rid poison bait.

  • 2esc on 11/09/2023 - 08:34

    Credit cards i always cut up and place separate bins. Gift cards recycle bin

    • bamzero on 11/09/2023 - 10:56
      +2

      Despite your good intentions, gift cards shouldn't go in your recycle bin (of course may vary by council)
      They contain PVC and I think they need to go to special recycling programs that handle it.

      • bobwokeup on 11/09/2023 - 12:16

        Oh really, that’s the first I’ve heard of that. Do you have a link with more information?

        *edit - WOW all these years I thought they were recyclable but I was wrong, as per this article, so sad they can’t be made from a recyclable product.

        • bamzero on 13/09/2023 - 12:02

          See you found some info on it already.

          I've recently found out that for some reason Cottees cordial bottles are made from PVC too so they shouldn't be going in my recycle bin either. Apparently they plan to switch to PETG by 2025 (page 13)

          • bobwokeup on 13/09/2023 - 12:05

            @bamzero: Yeah I was so shocked.

            There are so many random products that should be recyclable but aren’t. Coffee cups was the one that got me years ago from War on Waste but apparently they will soon be recyclable.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/09/2023 - 09:13

    I used a plastic card to shim the latch on a door lock once, my girlfried had accidently locked us out of her parent's holiday shack.
    Fortunately it was an old lock with a latch, not a deadbolt, but it still mangled the card.

  • inherentchoice on 11/09/2023 - 09:46

    They are good for removing residue from stickers. Spray with some kerosene/petrol/metho and then scrape off with the plastic card. It won't scratch like a razor blade or metal scraper would.

  • Loopholio on 11/09/2023 - 12:06

    I use mine as gentle scrapers when removing gunk from car body parts. They are handy for general cleaning too.

    I did ask Woolw years ago and they said to bin it as there is no way to recycle the cards.

  • bobwokeup on 11/09/2023 - 12:15
    -2

    Why would anyone chuck them in the bin? They can be recycled in the recycling bin!!! This is why I prefer egift cards.

    • Loopholio on 12/09/2023 - 18:19

      Can these plastic cards be recycled?

      • bobwokeup on 12/09/2023 - 18:26

        Apparently not, as I found out above.

        Just ask the gutless neggers who don’t help haha

  • smalltime0 on 17/09/2023 - 07:59
    +1

    They suck as a gift, don't buy them.
    If you receive them, fly off on a turbo prop or slap them… dealers choice

  • Buyer0fBargains on 24/10/2023 - 07:05

    Recycle them through Biome (https://www.biome.com.au/pages/recycle-at-biome#)
    Prepaid recycling through Creative Cards (smallest box is $25 - https://creativeplasticcards.com.au/recycling/) or TerraCycle (smallest box is $193 - https://zerowasteboxes.terracycle.com.au/products/plastic-ca…). Putting in requests with your local council and retailers who sell plastic cards to sponsor a box in their business is one way we can get them to take accountability - lots of people in Zero Waste communities have had success with direct requests.

  • Toph Beifong on 24/10/2023 - 21:44

    Toilet paper

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