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Filtered by Sustainability — 95 articles

Astrid Mitchell

1 June 2026

11 min read

Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering – Where Banknote Destruction Meets Sustainability

One of the main most visual environmental impacts of banknotes is not in their production but their destruction – with incineration and landfill still being all-too-frequent methods of removal. In last month’s Currency News™, we reported on the results of the 2025 Banknote Recycling Study, the latest biennial survey from Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering (Kusters), which explored how central banks are handling the disposal of unfit notes in particular, and progress made (or not) since the previous survey of 2023.

Free Sustainability Free

Astrid Mitchell

27 April 2026

5 min read

Recycling Makes Progress, Sustainability Has a Way to Go

Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering has published its 2025 Banknote Recycling Study. Kusters is one of the banknote industry’s leading manufacturers of high security off-line destruction and shred handling equipment for banknotes and coins; the paper explores how central banks are handling the disposal of unfit notes in particular, and also some of their general sustainability activities, based on an extensive market survey.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

4 March 2026

6 min read

Composting from Waste of Intaglio Wiping Solution

In a separate development to its new app, BioBanknote, has developed a composting solution for the disposal of solid waste created in intaglio wiping solution, often referred to as ‘sludge’.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

4 March 2026

2 min read

Measuring Climate Change

There is that saying, ‘you do what you measure’ and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) objectives are part of all our lives. Measurement matters.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

31 Oct. 2025

4 min read

Using Banknotes to Replant the Amazon – a Call to Arms

Jörg Eigendorf, Chief Sustainability Officer at Deutsche Bank recently posted on LinkedIn about monetising the protection of the rainforests. Coincidently, almost to the day, Biobanknote wrote to us about a project to reforest the Amazon.

Free Sustainability Free

Astrid Mitchell

1 Oct. 2025

4 min read

Green Banknote Printing Revolution in China

Reportedly, China’s overarching goal for ecological civilization and green development is to build itself into a ‘Beautiful China’. Against this backdrop, a green transformation is quietly taking place at Nanchang Banknote Printing Co Ltd (NBPC). A subsidiary of China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation (CBPM), it is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and is progressively shifting from a traditionally polluting banknote printing facility into a ‘national-level green factory’.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

24 July 2025

3 min read

Recycling Banknote Fibres – Again and Again (and Again…)

One of the highlights of the Currency Technology Symposium was the tour of Louisenthal’s paper mill and features production centre just south of Munich, and in particular the chance to see its award- winning Banknote Fiber Extraction (BFE) system in action.

Sustainability

Gustavo Ascenzo

24 July 2025

5 min read

Supporting Central Banks to Embrace Recycling in Latin America

At the recent HSP Latin America conference in Rio de Janeiro, a new category was introduced to the Regional Banknote of the Year Awards, namely – Best Environmental Project. CCL Secure received a special commendation for its Banknote Waste Management programme. This article gives the background and detail of the initiative.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

2 July 2025

4 min read

Cash Sustainability with a Latin American Twist

The Cash Sustainability Forum has to date been held as a standalone event in Europe but, this year, it went regional for a one day workshop at HSP Latin America, held in conjunction with the International Currency Association.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

2 July 2025

2 min read

From Money to Medals in Indonesia

The Bank Indonesia (BI) office in Bali has come up with a novel – and appropriate – way to recycle end of life banknotes – by turning them into medals that were given to participants in the QRIS Summer Run Bali fun run.

Sustainability

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Astrid Mitchell

27 May 2025

4 min read

Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions Champions Sustainability in Currency Production

Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions (KBBS) has published its Banconota Spring/Summer edition dedicated to one subject, sustainability. The focus of the piece is how KBBS is helping its customers reduce the environmental impact of what they do.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

1 May 2025

2 min read

New Cash Environmental Resource Launched

Reconnaissance, co-publisher of Currency News™, launched a new website on 22 April (World Mother Earth Day) as a cash community asset to capture and consolidate initiatives, work and research from every part of the cash cycle and provide tools to support organisations on their pathway to a greener future.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

31 March 2025

2 min read

Korea Aims to Make Money from Recycled Money

According to the Bank of Korea (BOK), last year it withdrew and disposed of 474.89 million damaged or contaminated banknotes, amounting to a total value of KRW 3.3761 trillion won, a 1.9% reduction over the previous year. The disposal of these notes is part of its ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity and quality of the currency in circulation, the central bank said. It also disposed of 101.53 million coins.

Sustainability

John Winchcombe

29 Jan. 2025

1 min read

Cash Recirculation and Local Recycling: from Policy to Practice

A new white paper examines the cash cycle from the perspective of every stakeholder, drawing on interviews and discussions with the 24 organisations that contributed to it. It contains examples and information from around the world, from small and large countries, emerging market and advanced economies and all types of stakeholder.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

31 Oct. 2024

3 min read

CBPM’s Green Alternatives for Thread Production

China Banknote Printing and Minting has been implementing a series of clean production and carbon reduction measures in the production of raw materials such as paper, thread, and ink, in order to make the production of the renminbi and other currencies more environmentally friendly.

Companies Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

29 Sept. 2024

3 min read

Intergraf’s Sustainability Initiatives

Intergraf is best known in the banknote community for its biennial Currency+Identity conference and for its certification scheme for security printers. But it provides a range of services and tools for the broader print industry, two of which have relevance to banknote printers.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

29 Sept. 2024

3 min read

Hueck Folien Takes Major Strides Toward Eco-Neutral Production

Austrian-based film and foil specialist Hueck Folien, a leading supplier of security threads and foils for banknotes, is taking a number of steps to put its products at the forefront of sustainability and reach its goal of ecologically-neutral production by 2035.

Companies Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

1 Aug. 2024

1 min read

From Cash to Conservation

Researchers at Griffith University of Australia have investigated the representation of native fauna on banknotes to identify geographic hotspots and taxonomic patterns, and determine whether threatened and endemic species were more readily represented.

Sustainability

Astrid Mitchell

1 Aug. 2024

5 min read

Sustainability Centre Stage in Frankfurt

Some were in Frankfurt for the European football in the final week of June, but not all. The second Cash Sustainability Forum saw two and a half days of discussion, presentations and debate focused on reducing the environmental impact of cash and the cash cycle.

Events Sustainability

Tim Berridge

1 Aug. 2024

4 min read

How Regional Recycling Solutions Support Global Success

In an age where consumers, companies and central banks are seeking to reduce raw materials use and close the loop on waste, banknote recycling has never been more important.

Sustainability

Latest News

Royal Dutch Kusters Engineering – Where Banknote Destruction Meets Sustainability

Recycling Makes Progress, Sustainability Has a Way to Go

Composting from Waste of Intaglio Wiping Solution

Measuring Climate Change

Using Banknotes to Replant the Amazon – a Call to Arms

Green Banknote Printing Revolution in China

Recycling Banknote Fibres – Again and Again (and Again…)

Supporting Central Banks to Embrace Recycling in Latin America

Cash Sustainability with a Latin American Twist

From Money to Medals in Indonesia

Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions Champions Sustainability in Currency Production

New Cash Environmental Resource Launched

Korea Aims to Make Money from Recycled Money

Cash Recirculation and Local Recycling: from Policy to Practice

CBPM’s Green Alternatives for Thread Production

Intergraf’s Sustainability Initiatives

Hueck Folien Takes Major Strides Toward Eco-Neutral Production

From Cash to Conservation

Sustainability Centre Stage in Frankfurt

How Regional Recycling Solutions Support Global Success

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