earth with buildings on one side and trees on the other

Mobile vs. Plastic: Which Credentials Are More Sustainable?

Measuring sustainability can be complex, especially when it comes to high technology. Each step in the life cycle of a product has implications for the environment, along with decisions for manufacturers to make, the results of which are amplified by thousands or even millions.

So how do you quantify what is “good” for the environment? One way is through a life cycle assessment (LCA), where a team of experts assess all relevant factors — cradle to grave — that a product has on our ecosystem, including raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, use and end of life.

When it comes to mobile access (using a smartphone, smart watch or other mobile device to unlock doors, networks and other amenities), the advantages over plastic cards are many, from convenience to security. As far as sustainability, from their inception, mobile credentials appeared to have an edge over physical credentials, particularly plastic cards. But until recently, that was just a hunch. We wanted hard facts on their relative impact — and direction on how to make all our products even more sustainable in the future.

To do this, HID engaged a third-party research firm, Sustainable Solutions Corporation, to conduct a comparative life cycle assessment between HID Mobile Access® and HID ISOProx PVS cards per ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 international standards. Upon conclusion of the study, both the study and model underwent an independent review by a three-person panel.

Findings Show: Mobile Access Is Substantially Less Harmful

Under the LCA methodology employed by the study, it was determined that (for an average number of openings per day) mobile access has substantially less negative environmental impact than ISOProx PVC cards — by every measure. Compared to ISOProx PVC cards:

  • Mobile access emits the equivalent of 75% less carbon dioxide
  • Mobile access results in the depletion of 83% less fossil fuel resources
  • Mobile access generates the equivalent of 88% less nutrient runoff
  • Mobile access contributes to the equivalent of 92% less smog production
  • Mobile access is 94% less likely to contribute to acid rain
  • Mobile access is 99.99% less likely to contribute to ozone layer depletion

Beyond this initial evaluation, we learned key information about which life cycle steps were the most harmful (and why), which we can use to lower the impact of ingredients, suppliers and design in our product development cycles. We also intend to evaluate energy conservation opportunities, especially heat recovery, to reduce energy consumption and related impacts during manufacturing.

Keep watching this space for more information in the future — sustainability is a key priority for HID and our parent company, ASSA ABLOY. 

Want to know more about this study? Check out the eBook, Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Mobile Access Vs. ISOProx PVC Credentials >>

Related Posts