Beginning January 1, 2028, Mastercard-certified card manufacturers worldwide will be required to produce the five layers of plastic found in the vast majority of all payment cards with recycled or bio-sourced materials. Sources for alternatives to the virgin PVC used in cards include plastics commonly found in packaging, construction materials and bottles. Until recently, there was a significant price difference between cards made with virgin PVC and alternative plastics. However, the gap has closed substantially. Mastercard will also certify the composition and sustainability of cards that ca...