Startup uses RFID tracking, smart bins to reduce foodservice waste

A German startup called 1Less has developed a new closed-loop re-use system that could make the piles of waste plastic cups, lids, containers and cutlery at events a thing of the past.

The Berlin-based company has created a complete ecosystem, making use of RFID-tagged dishware and smart waste bins that are linked to a digital IoT platform. The system eliminates the need for deposits or refund systems.

Every item of foodservice packaging, and all serviceware and utensils, carry a robust, durable RFID tag, which transforms each item into a data carrier and a transmitter.

Each tagged item has a unique ID and can be tracked through the entire collection, cleaning and re-use process.

All serviceware items can be used 800-1000 times and then fully recycled at the end of life, with the tag removed and re-used again, says the company.

At an event, all waste including the used serviceware is deposited in the smart bins located around the venue. No special sorting is required as the bin’s "brain" and sensors identify the 1Less products, while a sorting mechanism separates it from other waste items. The bin also interacts with the 1Less cleaning-staff service App with an alert on when to empty or maintain the bins.

The entire process is enabled by a digital IoT platform and the service App. The IoT platform collects all the data and controls the individual bin brains. It keeps track of each 1Less item used and ensures they are sent to the cleaning and re-use process. The bin logs each item and sends the information to a databank, which generates reports on key information for 1Less customers. All the information collected is GPDR compliant.

“What sets the 1Less System apart is the offer of a deposit-free, intelligent and automated smart re-use system for these closed environments,” explained Gerald Lamusse, one of the company’s co-founders. This hybrid smart tech system is the only smart, circular economy, IoT-based re-use system available globally, he added.

“For every kilogram of 1Less dishware items it is possible to save 25 kilograms of single-use plastic, resulting in almost 50 times less CO2 emissions. As no deposit or refund system is necessary the consumer simply buys the item for consumption from the vendor, resulting in much lower transaction costs and making it very straightforward and user-friendly,” he said.

Once the 1Less IoT platform is enabled for aggregation, analysis and reporting, it generates data that can form the basis for new business and revenue models, making it an attractive proposition for vendors who can license or purchase the hardware.

Last year, the company successfully applied for funding from the European Union's EIC Accelerator Fund program, and is currently looking for investors to scale up its development.

“The market potential, over the next 5 years, on a realistic business model, is €275m in the EU alone,” said 1Less co-founder Boris Jebsen. “The 1Less technology and IoT solution can turn any single-use packaging into a smart, re-usable pack, while taking automated returns to the next level.”