MTN South Africa has introduced biodegradable SIM cards to combat plastic waste pollution, addressing the estimated 180 million SIM cards produced annually in the industry.
Many of these cards are discarded after short-term use, contributing to environmental harm.
The new eco-friendly SIMs are made from 100% FSC-certified materials sourced from responsibly managed forests, ensuring environmental, social, and economic benefits. Unlike traditional plastic SIM cards, the biodegradable version decomposes within three to six months in landfills, soil, or seawater.
“These SIM cards deliver the same network performance and security as plastic cards,” said Wanda Matandela, MTN South Africa’s Chief Commercial Operations Officer, adding that distribution to stores and partners begins this month.
South Africa’s mobile operators, including MTN, Vodacom, Telkom, and Cell C, have already taken steps to reduce plastic waste by shrinking SIM card sizes and encouraging recycling. However, high churn rates in the prepaid market, driven by consumers switching networks for better deals, have worsened waste issues.
Embedded SIMs (eSIMs), which eliminate the need for physical cards, offer a potential long-term solution but remain limited to newer, high-end devices.
Meanwhile, MTN and other operators are running initiatives to promote sustainable practices, such as recycling programs and awareness campaigns.
This latest move by MTN signals a push toward a greener, more sustainable mobile ecosystem.
