MGM plans to transform 100 percent of its used playing cards into eco-friendly packaging via a new collaboration with a Shenzhen tech firm, the casino operator announced on Friday. The initiative would be a major step forward for recycling in Macao, where casinos collectively burn a staggering 5 tonnes of playing cards every single day.
MGM began working with Fnetlink Technology in 2023 to co-develop “the world’s first smart, automated card-shredding solution,” according to a press release. On Friday, the two parties signed a new partnership agreement to launch a localised recycling scheme turning playing cards into “high-quality recycled fibres” without using water.
When up and running, the initiative is expected to annually recycle about 3,000 tonnes of used playing cards that would otherwise be burned.
[See more: Casino equipment maker Angel to set up playing card factory in Macao]
Environmental groups have previously called on the government to implement a recycling scheme for the cards, according to local media, to prevent the release of toxic chemicals into the air.
MGM did not provide a timeframe for the scheme’s rollout. However, the concessionaire’s statement noted that it would be the “first integrated resort in Macao to implement a fully localised recycling system for playing cards.” Keith Lei, MGM’s senior vice president of human resources and sustainability, said the system set a “new standard for sustainable growth in the integrated resort industry.”
Recycling is widely considered an underdeveloped practice in Macao, where a recent survey found that almost 40 percent of locals rarely recycle or don’t recycle at all.
