Visual Waste Identification System (VWIS), a concept that embodies the notion of lightness in form, functionality, and greater purpose. This is a forward-looking concept that makes three major assumptions about industry trends:

1. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will have a growing influence on our interaction and intimacy with products
2. Costs of raw material extraction and power generation will continue to increase
3. Climate change agendas will further product take-back and total lifecycle policies

VWIS addresses the need to lessen our impact given the negative effects of our rate of consumption. By leveraging identification technologies with modular design, this concept enhances existing operations for both municipal and commercial waste handling. Waste is conveyed through a "reading station". RFID and optical scanning technology identifies waste category and locates the specific coordinates of that object on the conveyor. The location and category data is relayed to the "identification station" that illuminates different waste types from overhead with colored light beams (red beams=metal; blue beams=e-waste; yellow beams=plastic, etc.). By color-coding waste types within the larger stream, VWIS enables efficient manual or robotic separation that is also expandable to allow for increased recycling rates.

This concept would not only further promote recycling efforts, but could provide data to support aforementioned take back protocols. Similarly, the modular design supports operations expansion and adaptability to developing technologies. Most importantly, this is a global solution addressing the many different programs and standards intended to lighten our impact on this planet.