City officials boost recycling efforts with RFID-equipped recycle bins
16 September, 2011
category: RFID
City officials in Gastonia, N.C. are gearing for the launch of an RFID-enabled recycle program, according to the Gaston Gazette. Households will each receive a 96-gallon recycle cart fitted with a RFID chip which is read at pick up and recorded on the truck, documenting that recycled material was collected at that address.
Officials say the recycle bins don’t measure weight, or act as a means to penalize residents. Information gathered from the chips be used more to target education efforts in neighbors where recycling participation is low.
“At most, it might involve sending out flyers or newsletters to a given community about the importance of recycling,” said assistant city manager Flip Bombardier.
Currently, only 25% of the city’s solid waste customers participate in curbside recycling. But city officials hope that the new system will improve the number by increasing residents awareness and to promote recycling efforts.
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