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Metal credit cards are durable, attractive, and—when you no longer need them—a bit trickier to dispose of than their plastic counterparts. Whether you're upgrading to a new card, closing an account, or simply downsizing your wallet, it's important to destroy the card securely and dispose of it responsibly. Here's what you need to know. 🔒
Unlike standard plastic cards, metal cards present two distinct challenges: security and material composition.
From a security angle, metal cards often belong to premium or high-limit accounts. Simply throwing one in the trash leaves your account number, expiration date, and cardholder name exposed to potential theft or fraud. From a practical angle, metal doesn't shred or dissolve easily—a standard paper shredder won't reliably destroy it, and many recycling programs won't accept metal cards.
The goal is to render the card unreadable while responsibly disposing of both the metal and any embedded electronics.
The most straightforward approach is to make the card unusable. Here are the common techniques:
Cut it into small pieces. Use heavy-duty scissors or a utility knife to cut the card into multiple small sections. Focus on destroying the magnetic strip, chip, and any numbers printed on the surface. This is effective but requires effort and care to avoid injury.
Drill or punch holes. A power drill or a heavy-duty hole punch can destroy the chip and magnetic strip. Drill multiple holes through the card to ensure no part remains intact or readable.
Bend or hammer the card. Metal cards are harder to damage this way than plastic, but repeated bending or striking with a hammer can crack the chip and deform the surface enough to render it unreadable.
Burn it (safely, if applicable). Some people burn cards in a fireplace or controlled setting. This can destroy both the card and any embedded electronics, but it requires careful handling and proper ventilation. Check local regulations and fire codes before attempting this method.
The key principle: make the card unreadable and unusable before disposal.
If you have sensitive documents or multiple cards to destroy, a professional shredding service may accept metal cards—though not all do. Some shredding companies have industrial equipment capable of handling metal. Contact a local service to ask if they accept credit cards; many will handle them for a small fee or as part of a document-shredding package.
Once the card is physically destroyed, you'll have metal scraps and possibly plastic or electronic components.
Recycling: Some recycling centers accept metal and plastic separately. After destruction, you can separate the pieces—metal fragments in one bin, any remaining plastic or electronics in another. Check your local recycling program's guidelines to see what they accept. Not all programs take mixed materials or electronics.
Trash: If recycling isn't available or practical, disposing of the destroyed card in household trash is generally safe once it's been made unreadable. Without identifying information visible and the chip destroyed, the risk of fraud is minimal.
Your card issuer: Contact your card issuer directly. Some banks or financial institutions will destroy cards for you if you mail them the card. Ask whether they have a prepaid return envelope or specific instructions for destruction.
A few practical steps beforehand:
Metal credit cards require intentional destruction rather than casual disposal. The method you choose depends on your comfort level, available equipment, and what resources are accessible in your area. The goal is always the same: render the card unreadable, destroy the chip, and dispose of the materials responsibly.
