RFID Tags Track Recycling Carts
February 11, 2011
According to the Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana is having their neighborhoods use large recycling carts that are fitted with RFID tags, which will allow the city to track the carts location and use.
“City officials said that the information it collects from the recycling carts will be used only to track the city’s cart inventory and target education,” according to Journal Gazette. “It will be nearly identical to the garbage carts but will have a different colored lid.”
This will be a great investment since the garbage carts, that are currently being used, have lost the city 2,700 carts per year! With the RFID tags, they will be able to track where each cart should be and they only cost 90 cents each. However, the tags can only be read from a close range on an RFID reader.
Some cities have already installed RFID tags in its recycling bins, Cleveland, Ohio and Ann Arbor, Michigan. However, both of these cities are taking a different approach.
Cleveland residents could be fined up to $100 if they do not dispose of their trash properly. Ann Arbor is measuring how much is being recycled and participants are rewarded with discounts to businesses.
Do you think this is something your community will invest in?
Will recycling be required in five years?