By Dave Tushie, Magellan Consulting, Inc., ICMA Standards and Technical Representative

While industry traction has been accelerating, it was observed at a recent standards meeting that no ISO card standards documents refer to eco cards, sustainable cards, recycled content, carbon footprint or other implementations of alternative materials. As the conversation evolved in the ISO Standards Committee, it was clear that the interest in alternative materials, such as those used in eco/sustainable cards, is trending higher. Consequently, the committee is considering some options such as informative technical report(s) with no requirements, a test method standard with new tests not currently in ISO/IEC 24789 (card durability), ISO/IEC 10373 (card test methods), ISO/IEC 7810 (base card standard) or a specific eco/sustainable card test specification.   

Almost all the international standards for ID cards have been written without any mention of the actual card materials. Initial versions of these documents were created at a time when first-use PVC cards had very large market shares for several key transaction card applications. Relatively recently, many new card types have been introduced for use in some card applications. There are now cards that contain recycled plastics, polymers from natural feedstocks, biodegradable or compostable materials, paper and wood fiber materials and cards with metal core layers. These new card constructions offer benefits but can also exhibit some performance deficiencies relative to the more traditional card constructions, relative to the existing standards specifications and test methods. Consequently, some additional test methods are being considered by the ISO Committee. 

Here is a current summary of the test methods being considered: 

1. Surface energy measurement 

2. VICAT card softening point 

3. Card surface roughness (Ra) 

4. Composition of polymer surface layers of PVC and recycled PVC (rPVC) cards 

5. Elevated temperature and relative humidity  

6. MEK solvent rub test 

7. Liquid plasticizer exposure 

8. Text and line print quality 

9. Printed patch quality 

10. Edge delamination 

1. This is a prospective test since it is currently unclear that a suitable test method is available 

Some tests may come from a new test method document, others from existing standards. Current standards have been more focused on requirements, without regard to differences in materials. For example, rPVC has been shown to have composition variations in cards within a lot that may need additional requirements and test methods to assure these variations do not affect achievement of overall requirements. In the preliminary draft document, there is also a dedicated section regarding suitability of the test methods for certain card constructions. 

The initial focus of this developing work is on test methods that could be added to the ISO/IEC 24789-2 (card durability test methods) standard document to assure material properties of alternative materials are suitable for a variety of personalization elements and technologies on such cards. This is not an effort for evaluating the alternative materials performance vs traditional materials. Rather, the intent is to evolve these ideas into a New Work Item proposal to the ISO/SC17 standards organization for addition into the standards committee work in an ISO/IEC 24789-2 revision. Data will need to be developed to support the inclusion of these test methods for their intended purposes. 

All of this will take some time to progress to a new revision of the ISO/IEC 24789-2 standard document, assuming it is accepted as a new work item. Proposed test methods and criteria will need to be developed, with appropriate testing to support their inclusion along with international participation and debate. However, with the card industry movement to these alternative materials, it seems certain that progress in this area needs to keep up with the evolving material changes and constructions in such card products. 

About the Author: David Tushie, ICMA standards and technical representative, has had a long and continuing career in the card industry, working for international companies such as DataCard, UbiQ and NBS Technologies. He has master’s degrees in engineering and business, holds U.S. and international patents in measurement and card issuance systems and has had several years of involvement with the ANSI, INCITS and ISO Standards process. ICMA is represented at six ISO and ANSI Standards Meetings through David’s standards role within the association.