National Trust is to ditch its plastic membership card for paper alternative as part of latest battle in war on waste
- The card will be made from a strong, durable paper with a water-based coating
- The move is part of a range of measures by the Trust to protect the environment
- The Trust is also looking to remove plastic from most of its greeting cards
The National Trust is swapping its plastic annual membership card for a compostable paper alternative.
The card, which will be sent to over five million members, will be made from a type of strong, durable paper featuring a tough water-based coating.
The paper will be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes responsible management of forests worldwide.
The National Trust is swapping its plastic annual membership card for a compostable paper alternative
The change will avoid the use of 12.5 tons of plastic – equivalent to the weight of two African elephants – for the cards, which provide discounted or free entry to buildings, gardens and parks across the UK.
The move is part of a range of measures by the Trust to protect the environment and tackle the climate crisis.
The move is part of a range of measures by the Trust to protect the environment and tackle the climate crisis. Pictured: Penrhyn Castle in North Wales which is a National Trust property
The cards, which will be rolled out from next month, can be composted or thrown away with paper as part of regular household recycling after membership expires.
The Trust is also looking to remove plastic from most of its greeting cards and wrapping paper, and is trialling drink dispensers at its sites to reduce the sale of bottled beverages.
Earlier this month the National Trust threw its weight behind our Great British Spring Clean campaign and called on its 5.5million members to get involved.
Trust chief Hilary McGrady said: ‘We need everyone’s help to tackle the problem.’