Remanufacturing with RFID item-level information: Optimization, waste reduction and quality improvement

We consider RFID tags and their applications from a recycling/remanufacturing perspective and propose a novel framework to assist such process based on item-level information visibility and instantaneous tracking/tracing ability enabled by RFID. The incorporation of RFID in the reverse supply chain results in cost reduction, service and production quality improvement and pollution and waste reduction. With RFID in a reverse supply chain, we observe the power shift from waste-driven to market-driven system. Moreover, RFID's value increases with uncertainties in reverse operations as well as individual products and components.