Texte 27/2009: Einfluss von RFID-Tags auf die Abfallentsorgung ...

Report Cover Sheet
1. Report No.
UBA-FB 001276
2. 3. Waste Management
4. Report Title
Impact of RFID tags on waste management
Prognosis of potential impacts of a mass use of RFID-Tags in the area of consumer products on the
environment and waste management
5. Autor(s), Family Name(s), First Name(s) 8. Report Date
IZT: Dipl.-Ing. Lorenz Erdmann
EMPA: Prof. Dr. habil. Lorenz Hilty
October 2008
9. Publication Date
6. Performing Organisation (Name, Address) September 2009
Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung IZTgGmbH 10. UFOPLAN-Ref. No.
Schopenhauerstr. 26 3707 33 302
14129 Berlin
11. No. of Pages
185
7. Sponsoring Agency (Name, Address)
12. No. of Reference
Umweltbundesamt, Postfach 14 06, 06813 Dessau-Roßlau 103
15. Supplementary Notes
13. No. of Tables, Diagrams
53
14. No. of Figures
26
16. Abstract
Against the background of the fast market penetration of Radio Frequency Indentification (RFID) the research
project investigates potential future impacts of a mass use of RFID tags in the area of consumer products on
the environment and the waste management. Today’s use of RFID tags doesn’t challenge current municipal
solid waste management systems substantially. However, if no precautionary action is undertaken the dynamic
growth of RFID markets could have adverse effects on these waste managment systems in future.
The project aims at the assessment of today’s and future’s RFID tag quantities, the characterisation of the fate of
RFID tags in current municipal solid waste management systems, the building and quantification of future scena-
rios and policy recommendations for an environmentally sound use of RFID tags in Germany. This final report is
the first systematic quantitative description of the future impacts of RFID tags on waste management, having in-
volved the most important stakeholders closely.
The project’s scope is on municipal solid waste management systems in Germany for a time horizon of 2022. The
project focuses on passive RFID tags, being attached to consumer products or their packaging. The separately
collected waste fractions end-of-live glass, paper and cardboard, light packaging and residual waste are analysed
downstream, including refuse derived fuels and secondary construction materials. Organic waste is treated in a
brief digression.
The R&D project addresses only potential risks of RFID tags in municipal solid waste management, i.e. packaging
wastes. Opportunities to improve recycling processes, for example of WEEE, is not accounted for in this study.
17. Keywords
RFID, transponder, tags, Radio Frequency Identification, packaging wastes, recovery, recycling, waste
management
18. Price 19. 20.