RFID Application in Waste Monitoring Management of Electronic Products

The increasing awareness of environment protection had made the European Union request the enterprises, through legislation (such as WEEE, RoHS and EuP), to take the responsibility to minimize the environmental impact. Directive of WEEE stresses that producers are responsible for the collection and recycling of all electrical and electronic waste. This paper focuses on how manufacturers can meet WEEE through reducing, re-generating, and recycling the waste materials, what benefits can be gained during the process of RFID monitoring, and what regulations are required for the suppliers and recycling merchants on the environmental protection issues in performing and achieving the Green Management Policy or System. This study examines the current recycling methods, the merchants’ recycling operation procedures as well as the functions of RFID applied into the operation procedures. The efficiency of recycles tracing and monitoring further be discussed based on supply chain forward/reverse checking theory. We used Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagram to explain how to simplify production procedures, consignment procedures, stocking procedures, and recycling procedures. We concluded three major findings: (1) The RFID technique could provide one of the best choices for the recycling procedure. (2) Manufacturers, government, and recycling merchants are all benefited from the lead-in of RFID technique into the operation procedures. (3) The establishment of WEEE monitoring procedures helps the enterprises to reappraise and reinforce their management skills that in return strengthen their competence.