How to Dispose of a Metal Credit Card the Right Way

A metal credit card will not go through your paper shredder, and tossing it in the trash intact is a data risk. To dispose of a metal credit card the right way, cancel or deactivate it first, destroy the chip and magnetic stripe so no one can read your data, then return or recycle the metal responsibly. Real metal makes it far tougher than plastic, which is exactly why it needs a different send-off. 

Here is how to do it safely, step by step, whether the card came from a bank or was converted from your own.

Why A Metal Card Needs Special Disposal

Plastic cards you can shred at home. Metal is a different story.

It Will Break A Shredder

A home paper shredder is built for plastic and paper, not solid metal, so feeding a metal card in can jam or break the machine. Metal cards need cutting tools or a proper return route instead. Forcing one through a shredder risks the machine and leaves the card intact.

The Chip Still Holds Data

Your account data lives on the EMV chip and magnetic stripe, so a discarded card is a risk if the chip is still readable, since the chip is what carries your details. Deactivating the account and destroying the chip removes that risk. Never bin a working card whole.

How To Dispose Of A Metal Credit Card

Three steps get it done safely. Do them in order.

Step One: Cancel Or Confirm It Is Dead

Call your bank to cancel or confirm the card is expired and deactivated before you destroy anything. A cancelled card cannot be used even if the chip survives, which is your first layer of safety. Wait for confirmation before you move on.

Step Two: Destroy The Chip And Stripe

Cut through the EMV chip and slice across the magnetic stripe several times, so neither can be read. Regular scissors will not cut metal, so use tin snips or metal shears, and wear gloves and eye protection since sharp pieces can fly off. Cut it into small pieces rather than just halving it, then split the pieces across more than one trash bag.

Step Three: Return Or Recycle The Metal

Once the data is destroyed, the metal can be returned or recycled instead of landfilled. Many banks that issue metal cards include a prepaid envelope to mail the old one back, or will send one if you ask. If you would rather handle it yourself, a local scrap metal or e-waste recycler will take the destroyed pieces.

Here is how the three main disposal routes compare:

If Your Card Was Converted

A card converted from your own plastic has one extra wrinkle at disposal time.

Your Original Plastic Card

After conversion, your original plastic card comes back with the chip removed, so it only swipes. It still carries magnetic stripe data, so cut across the stripe before you toss it. The plastic can then go in the regular trash, which is worth knowing when you first convert a card to metal.

Your Converted Metal Card

A mail-back envelope is meant for bank-issued cards, so a converted metal card is best destroyed and recycled yourself. Deactivate the account, cut the chip and stripe, then recycle the metal. Your data was never stored by the maker, so the only copy to destroy is on the card itself.

A Quick Disposal Checklist

Run through these to retire a metal card cleanly and keep your information safe.

• Cancel or confirm the card is deactivated
• Cut through the chip and stripe with tin snips, wearing gloves and eye protection
• Split the pieces across separate trash bags
• Use a mail-back envelope, a branch drop-off, or a metal recycler
• Skip home shredders and any third-party offer to destroy the card for you

Retire It Responsibly

A metal card earns a careful send-off, not a toss in the bin. Cancel it, destroy the chip and stripe, and return or recycle the metal, and you protect both your data and the planet. It takes a few minutes to do right. 

When it is time for a fresh one, see what a new metal card can look like, or read the story behind the card.

FAQs

How do I dispose of a metal credit card?

Cancel or deactivate it first, then cut through the chip and magnetic stripe so your data cannot be read. Return the metal in an issuer envelope or recycle it at a metal or e-waste facility.

Can I put a metal credit card in a shredder?

No. Home paper shredders are not built for solid metal and can jam or break. Cut the card with tin snips or metal shears instead.

Is it safe to throw away a metal credit card?

Not while it is intact, since the chip and stripe still hold your data. Cancel the account and destroy the chip and stripe first for safe metal credit card disposal.

Can metal credit cards be recycled?

Yes. Once the data is destroyed, the metal can go to a scrap or e-waste recycler, and many issuers offer a mail-back envelope, so recycling metal credit cards is straightforward.

How do I destroy the chip on a metal card?

Cut across the chip several times with tin snips so the contact is broken, wearing gloves and eye protection. Then slice through the magnetic stripe to dispose of the metal card safely and for good.

What about the plastic card returned after conversion?

Cut across its magnetic stripe first, since it still carries data even with the chip removed. The plastic can then go in the regular trash.