Live at GS1: RFID-Tagged Corrugated Gains Momentum in Recycling, EPR Compliance
Using RFID can divert from corrugated from landfill, improve PCR stock, and help with EPR complaince, according to John Dwyer, Smurfit WestRock, and Curt Schacker, Track Vision AI, at GS1 Connect 2025 in Nashville.
RFID tracks and authenticates corrugated cases, and the tags are removed during the recycling process--fiber is recovered for repulping and reuse. Attribution data is delivered to brands using GS1 standards.
GS1 Connect shared slides
In a future where packaging is as smart as the products it protects, RFID is quietly reshaping how supply chains operate—and how brands approach their sustainability obligations. At GS1 Connect 2025, John Dwyer of Smurfit WestRock and Curt Schacker of Track Vision AI laid out a compelling case for embedding RFID tags on corrugated cases. Their goal? To bridge the gap between traceability and end-of-life recycling, and unlock a clearer path to compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.
Smurfit WestRock is already one of the largest recyclers in the U.S., operating 32 material recovery facilities (MRFs) nationwide. Dwyer described how their RFID-enabled trials at MRFs are achieving a 97% read rate—even in the chaotic, wet, and dirty conditions of a real-world recycling environment. That high level of visibility opens the door for new attribution models that allow brand owners to track—and prove—how their packaging flows through the recycling stream.
One common concern among packaging engineers and sustainability leads is whether RFID interferes with recyclability. Dwyer addressed this head-on. While the RFID chip itself isn’t recyclable, it does not impair the recyclability or repulpability of the corrugated board to which it’s affixed. Tests conducted with Western Michigan University, an institution that has become sort of a de facto standards body for recycling packaging, confirmed that corrugated substrates tagged with RFID remained viable in downstream fiber recovery.
Curt Schacker expanded on how these trials work. In a case study conducted over five quarters, Track Vision AI traced 1.3 million corrugated packages from distribution to post-consumer recovery. RFID tags embedded in secondary packaging were encoded with GTINs, which allowed the brand owner to track product identity and category at end-of-life. That product-level visibility enables attribution for EPR compliance and provides insights into consumer behavior—like a holiday spike in recovered TVs—that go far beyond conventional recycling data.
But RFID isn’t just a compliance tool—it’s a value engine. “If you extract value from RFID, it’s free,” said Dwyer. He emphasized that the ROI models are clear and often fast. “I've never seen an RFID ROI calculation that was legitimate and went past 12 months,” he added. When used effectively, RFID reduces labor costs, improves inventory accuracy, cuts shrink, and enables more efficient replenishment. The fact that it also helps brands meet recycling obligations is a bonus—not a burden.
Interoperability is key. Schacker pointed to EPCIS 2.0—a ratified industry standard—as the framework that enables meaningful data exchange across systems and trading partners. “What underlies supply chain transparency is interoperability,” he said. “And the only way the world has ever accomplished this at scale is through standards.” EPCIS 2.0 not only defines data formats for events like shipping, receiving, and transformation, but also enables integration with APIs for broader traceability use cases.
For CPG brands dealing with paperboard boxes, cereal cartons, or beverage multipacks, the takeaway is clear: affixing RFID to corrugated packaging is no longer experimental—it’s executable. And with EPR legislation accelerating across U.S. states and globally, the time for pilot programs is now.
Moreover, these tags can do double duty. Dwyer noted that the same tags used for tracking can support consumer-facing functions, including dynamic QR code overlays for transparency, brand engagement, and even recall alerts. “The QR code printed on pack is static, but the URL it links to can change dynamically based on context,” he explained.
The pilot conducted in Louisville is already being expanded to Smurfit WestRock’s Marietta, Georgia facility. According to Dwyer, the scalability is real: “The installation costs are low—under $50,000 per location.” With the right infrastructure and data practices in place (including encoding the GTIN properly on tags), packaging becomes both a data platform and a circularity enabler.
The implication for brand owners is this: RFID tags on corrugated cases don’t just enhance supply chain intelligence—they help future-proof your sustainability strategy.
For those unsure where to start, Dwyer’s advice was simple: “Think about your objectives, whether it’s closed-loop recycling, EPR compliance, or packaging attribution. Then build backward with standards, partners, and technology.” The data is already moving through your supply chain. The question now is: Are you ready to capture its full value?
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