It's in the Cards In recent years, more and more people have been paying for things with credit cards. There are now 565 million credit cards worldwide, but it doesn't stop there. Debit cards (电子记账卡) are being issued by banks, and store cards are being offered by many department stores. Bills and coins are gradually being replaced by 'plastic money.' In many countries, phone cards have been introduced for people to use in pay phones. In addition, cards made of paper are being replaced by plastic ones by many organizations and clubs. For example, if you belong to a sports club, your membership card may well be made of plastic. How safe is the plastic used to make these cards, though? Until now, most cards have been made from a plastic called PVC. While PVC is being produced, harmful chemicals are released into the atmosphere. One of the most erous chemicals that is released is dioxin, which is known to cause cancer in humans. A further problem is that, when a PVC card is thrown away, it is not biodegradable this means that it does not 'break down' and cannot be recycled. Obviously, recycling reduces pollution of the environment. The executive director of the environmental organization and charity Greenpeace, Peter Melchett, says, 'If there is a solution to this-and an alternative then it would be madness not to use it.' Greenpeace has found a solution and an alternative. Their new credit card is made entirely from a biodegradable plastic that uses plants. The card breaks down in around three months in soil in this way, it is recycled. In contrast, a PVC card lasts for centuries. Greenpeace hopes that many organizations will soon follow their example and issue cards that do not threaten the public health. Fewer and fewer credit cards are made of paper.