The Reserve Bank of Fiji is urging the public to take due care of the new $5 polymer notes.

The RBF has recently received a lot of mutilated $5 polymer notes from customers that were generally torn or burnt.

RBF Governor Barry Whiteside says the new notes are made from different material compared to paper notes and require special care when handling and storing.

Whiteside says the polymer notes must not be folded severely and must not be stapled or cut in any way.

Any holes and cuts on the notes cause them to easily tear apart.

He says the $5 polymer notes react poorly to extreme heat, which could cause them to melt and shrink, therefore people should avoid ironing the notes.