Green RFIDs

Copprint Compostable RFID Antennas: Delivering Circular Green Tags for IoT Without Waste

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is revolutionizing the way we connect the physical and digital worlds. By providing real-time data on inventory and product movement, RFID has greatly impacted supply chain management, helping businesses streamline operations, reduce waste, and improve product traceability.

As RFID technology advances and becomes more affordable, it is expected to be embedded in nearly every physical object, transforming how we interact with products across various industries:

• Retail: Inventory management, theft prevention, and contactless payments
• Supply Chain: Tracking goods from manufacturing to retail
• Healthcare: Patient identification, medication tracking, and equipment monitoring
• Transportation: Toll collection, vehicle tracking, and public transit fare collection
• Access Control: Managing access to buildings, secure areas, and events
• Animal Identification: Tracking livestock, pets, and wildlife
• Manufacturing: Asset management and automation
• Waste Management: Tracking waste disposal and recycling
• Libraries: Book tracking and self-checkout systems
• Passports & ID Cards: Secure personal identification
• Hospitality: Enhancing guest experiences and streamlining operations

However, the environmental impact of RFID antenna production is a significant challenge. Currently, RFID tags are made from eco-harmful, non-recyclable materials like plastic (PET) and etched metals (aluminum/copper). The manufacturing process often involves polluting chemical etching in offshore facilities, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2023 alone, an estimated 45 billion RFID tags were produced, resulting in waste equivalent to 1 billion aluminum cans or bottles. As the RFID market is expected to grow by 30 times over the next decade, this issue will only worsen. Despite the environmental consequences, RFID tag production is driven by cost sensitivity, often prioritizing economic feasibility over sustainability. This calls for immediate action to find and implement environmentally friendly alternatives.

Copprint’s Compostable Green RFID Antennas aim to address this challenge. Our innovative solution uses nano-copper inks on a paper substrate, creating eco-friendly RFID tags that fully compost within [XX] days. The Copprinting™ process is a sustainable, additive printing method that enables clean, onshore manufacturing anywhere in the world. By shifting from harmful materials and processes to compostable alternatives, Copprint is paving the way for a greener future in RFID technology.

Our ‘Green RFID’ tags are low cost, recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable, providing an environmentally responsible alternative to support IOT while protecting the planet.