April 1, 2005—Radio frequency identification could dramatically improve supply chain efficiencies, but putting RFID tags on millions—perhaps billions—of corrugated boxes could cause environmental problems. Boxes with copper antennas might not be recyclable, and the silver in conductive inks could leach into drinking water if boxes with printed antennas are tossed into landfills. A company called ADASA thinks it has the solution—recyclable RFID tags.

“A reusable or recyclable tag can be made more robust, so it can perform better and more consistently than a very low cost tag that is designed to be thrown away,” says Clarke McAllister, president of ADASA.


ADASA is working with unnamed RFID tag manufacturers on ways to create green tags. Instead of smart labels with human-readable or bar code information, green tags would be made with rigid materials to protect the transponders. Special adhesives would allow tags to be removed from corrugated boxes and other containers before the boxes are recycled. And the tags would have a logo identifying them as recyclable.

McAllister says his company has developed patent-pending technology that would remove and collect the tags. He expects to license the technology to companies that recycle boxes for retailers today. “We want to enable them to adapt to this new technology,” McAllister says. ADASA would collect royalties on the technology, and it might also make money by managing the pool of recycled tags.