TMN Offers The First Ever Recycled Paper Sim Card

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Portuguese wireless carrier TMN has come up with the world’s first SIM card made out of recycled paper. It’s currently only compatible with the Samsung Blue Earth handset. Yes, that’s the eco-friendly mobile phone with a futuristic solar panel slapped on the back.

Although the environmentally friendly SIM card is only initially available with the Samsung Blue Earth, TMN does have the intention to implement the paper-based SIM card in other phones. The carrier has teamed up with international suppliers Incard and Toppan to distribute the SIM cards at a later date.

Our normal petroleum-based SIM cards are made with a process that has a potential negative impact on the environment. TMN wishes to reduce the emission of toxic fumes and waste from the production of these cards through to the end usage.

Although this might be the first SIM card made from paper, it’s certainly not the first when it comes to being eco-friendly. Earlier this year in February, digital security company Gemalto came out with bio-sourced SIM cards.

Those innovative cards were made from a new material derived from corn, sugarcane or potato starch. The cards were wholly recyclable and bio-degradable. They were available to users on the SFR network, a French operator with over 20 million mobile subscribers.

TMN’s decision to package the SIM card with the Samsung Blue Earth is a smart choice. The handset itself is made from recycled water bottles and even has a solar panel at the back of the phone. Samsung claims that the solar panel generates enough electrical power where you can “call anytime anywhere.”

The phone is free from any harmful or toxic substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants, Beryllium and Phthalate. Using less than 0.03W in standby mode, it’s given a five-star Energy Star rating.

You can purchase the Samsung Blue Earth equipped with the paper SIM card, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a 3.2MP camera for around $320.

Credit: Source.