Michael Du Preez
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a wireless data collection technology. An RFID system also consists of a reader that sends radio signals into the air to activate a tag through an antenna, read the data transmitted by the tag and sometimes even write data on a tag. The family of Automatic identification (or auto-ID) technologies typically includes RFID, optical character recognition (OCR), bar codes, smart cards, and biometrics.
RFID has advantages and disadvantages compared to bar-coding technology, RFID tags do not require line-of-sight reading and store more information. RFID can reinvent the business model for waste handling through innovative applications. RFID technology includes active, passive and semi-passive types. The type of RFID tag chosen considers the capabilities and what needs to be accomplished.
Passive RFID tags have no power of their own and are powered by the radio frequency energy transmitted from RFID readers/antennas. The signal sent by the reader and antenna is used to power on the tag and reflect the energy back to the reader. The flexibility and cost-effectiveness of passive RFID tags makes it possible to attach or embed them to a wider range of objects than active tags. UHF (ultra-high frequency) passive tags are commonly used for item-level tracking of pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.
Active tags can often support sensors that measure and transmit conditions like temperature, light, and humidity. This makes them popular in harsher environments. They are typically used to track larger assets like vehicles and cargo containers.
While early versions of the technology were limited in the types of environments they could be used, there are now a variety of tags available that can be used in wet environments or on metal assets, and even tags that can survive exposure to extreme temperatures, chemical contaminants, and other harsh environments.
The RFID tags attached to the recycling containers kept track of its fullness, and when it was deemed full, the designated hauler was alerted to deploy a vehicle to transfer the waste. Tracking large numbers of assets doesn’t have to be a logistical nightmare. Automated tracking with RFID will provide a complete view of your asset fleet without the costly and time-consuming efforts involved in manually managing equipment.
RFID technology in previous years, when the technology remained fairly expensive, was considered the best tool in order to do justice to the pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) waste collection programs. PAYT has been shown to have an impact on households’ trash behavior significantly decreased trash output by both weight and volume while increasing the portion of the waste that was diverted into recycling.
Currently, RFID technology aids the waste and recycling industry in the tracking, work order management and repairs of waste containers, in addition to service verification and route management of waste vehicles, according to Jim Pickett, vice president of sales for Toter LLC, based in Statesville, NC. “The system works best when all residents receive and pay for services electronically,” he says. “I compare it to a tollway system in which customers would have a small prepaid balance and funds are deducted from their account when services are provided. If you have to mail paper invoices monthly and process payments by hand, the program doesn’t work well.”
Why RFID? Why not use the driver’s route sheet? What about onboard computers with global positioning systems (GPS)? “The program rewards people for participating,” says Will Flower, vice president of communications with Republic. “The rewards must go to the right people. Suppose a truck picks up four containers in a cul-de-sac with six houses. A GPS system can’t determine the owners of the containers. The chip has a number associated with an address and makes it possible to show for certain that a container belonging to this customer was picked up.”
In fact, to add certainty to the system, Republic combines RFID technology with GPS latitudes and longitudes. “That gives us several pieces of information to associate with the address,” says Mitch Hoban, director of municipal services for Republic. The RFID data goes to RecycleBank, which deposits points into an account established for the household.
Annapurna Solutions a Software startup focused towards the Circular economy in Houston is among the latest generation of startups leveraging RFID tags as part of the sustainability equation to enhance the efficiency of waste disposal. For more information, contact Anna Faith, Director of Operations, at [email protected] or visit www.annapurnasolutions.org.