System integrators, waste management solution providers and municipalities alike use contactless technology to optimize the efficiency, economy and traceability of waste collection, disposal and recycling. A radio frequency identification (RFID) solution provides the opportunity to reduce costs and increase service through data collection, resulting in route optimization and increased billing accuracy. When RFID tags are attached to waste containers, it is possible for operators to monitor sorting quality, track the number of times a container is set out for collection and track the weight of its contents.

“Not only is the business of waste management improving because of RFID, the technology is serving as a catalyst to change the way customers are billed for waste services. New billing models are emerging and gaining momentum inside of city governments and municipalities as they learn of the multilayered benefits offered through new waste management models,” Jack Falkner, president and CEO of Falken Secure Networks, stated.

As waste collection and disposal trucks automatically record the exact time and place each waste bin is emptied, it allows for a new degree of monitoring and control in the waste disposal process and verification of service delivery for accurate billing and billing alternatives.

“The technology can also help municipalities to monitor the performance of its waste contractors. We’ve created an advanced system design which can enable identification and tracking of all waste bins and billing with validated current data to accelerate and increase cash flows, as well as provide the incentive for increasing the recycling rate,” Falkner said.

The RFID tag products for waste management and recycling that are manufactured by HID Global include: The Bin Tag UHF and Bin Tag HDX, which are compatible with waste management standards for UHF (U.S. Frequency) or HDX; Epoxy Disc tags and IN Tags, for encapsulation during bin manufacture or for screw-on application to bins already deployed; the Plug Tag, ideal for bins where a small, plug-in form factor is required; and for large, industrial containers, HID’s InLine™ product family of on-metal UHF tags which can be screwed or welded into place for all waste management applications where a high read-range is key, due to container size. HID Global Bin Tags feature up to a seven year warranty, depending on the product.

Marie Francoise-Glotz, HID’s vice president of animal ID, industry and logistics, said, “HID offers the industry’s broadest selection of field-proven RFID tags and has delivered more than one billion RFID tags worldwide. We offer out-of-the-box reliability in conjunction with tag durability and performance under extreme conditions. Our products conform to relevant standards, depending upon the product. Our products can assist in waste reduction through systems designed to weigh, track and monitor recycling compliance or provide incentives for recycling.”

Glotz said that it is important to work with experienced software developers, bin manufacturers and systems integrators in assessing specific requirements. “The type of RFID tag must work well with the positioning of the reader, and the weather conditions to which the bins will be subjected must be considered in the product selection process,” Glotz stated.

She said there are over 15,000 private waste management companies in the United States with combined annual revenue of over $80 billion. Local governments, businesses and individuals have a common interest in making waste collection and disposal as cost effective as possible. “RFID technology provides the ability to automatically collect data, lower costs and improve service in waste disposal operations. It can significantly impact levels of recycling within the community,” Glotz explained.

Tanja Moehler, head of corporate communications and marketing, said that SMARTRAC offers a full collection of RFID transponders for waste management and recycling programs. “Our products are suited to help improve waste management processes by providing a fast and reliable identification and data collection process. Further optimization potential comes with the ability to not only track collection and weight of individual containers but to also use the collected data to improve truck usage and route planning,” Moehler said.

She added that the firm’s RFID transponders for waste management and recycling are specifically designed for use in harsh environments. “The SmartWastebinTags, SmartPinTags, SmartIDiscTags and SmartTOPTags withstand heat, cold, rain, dust and dirt. Packaged in a robust casing, our RFID transponders offer reliable data collection and enhanced durability combined with the benefits of bulk reading. Compliance with the BDE standard ensures full interoperability with further standardized components and systems. Our products cover the LF (FDX/HDX), HF and UHF frequencies and are available in different shapes and sizes,” stated Moehler.

She added, “What makes SMARTRAC the preferred partner for customers worldwide is our expertise, quality and reliability. With a production capacity of more than 40 million RFID transponders per month, we are a manufacturer and supplier of RFID components for a broad bandwidth of applications.”

Texas Instruments offers a variety of RFID products, from transponders to inlays to complementary products such as RFID reader integrated circuits and modules, as well as a huge range of other semiconductor devices. They’ve manufactured RFID chips and tags, waste management, livestock ID and automotive immobilizers since the late 1980s and produce several million units of waste management tags every year.

According to Klemens Sattlegger, WW Marketing RFID Industrial and Livestock, “We are an active contributor in various standardization groups such as ISO, and we continue to develop standards for all of the above markets. There are other technologies which have been tested and deployed in the past, such as visual ID (barcodes), and higher frequency technologies, e.g., 13.56MHz, 868/915 MHz, but none of them have proven to be as resistant and well functioning as the current 134kHz HDX LF technology.”

Sattlegger further elaborated on the technology involved in RFID products: “Environmental influences and mechanical stress as well as water and humidity require an extremely robust technology. LF HDX systems have a proven track record and are functional even after more than 20 years in the field with the requirement of less than 0.02 percent failure rate per year and 10 years data retention. In addition to the tag robustness, reader and antenna design are very simple and guarantee a very well-defined reading zone including up to a two meter read range, dependent on reader power and tag and reader antenna design.”