Do RFID Chips Belong in Recycling Bins?

Recycling: eco-friendly, responsible and … computerized? The recycling industry is getting an electronic boost in cities across the world via radio frequency identification (RFID) tracking chips. The chips allow authorities to keep tabs on bins and recognize resident recycling efforts. They save sanitation workers from spending valuable time figuring out which bin goes where, but at what expense? However, RFID chips aren’t free. When cities decide to implement the tracking chips, they must replace their existing recycling bins, invest in numerous electronic chips, install scanning devices in trucks and more. RFID chips cost taxpayers millions of dollars.