ZeroTag: Regenerative NFC Tags for Circular Packaging

RFID/NFC technology has the potential to transform packaging by reducing food and packaging waste across the supply chain, and by making refill systems more convenient. But embedding electronics into every item would create an e-waste crisis, where the recycling of miniaturised and geometrically complex plastic, epoxy, and metal is exponentially more difficult than the packaging waste problem the world already struggles to solve. On top of this, packaging is a commodity product, so for any innovation in smart packaging to succeed, it must also offer a compelling business case to the real decision-makers of packaging: marketers and brand owners.

ZeroTag explores a regenerative material lifecycle for RFID/NFC tags. Copper ink was silkscreened and sintered onto PHBV, a bacteria-derived biopolymer suitable for food packaging. A key breakthrough was finding a sintering temperature that allowed conductivity without degrading the substrate. The resulting sheet is conductive and durable, showing potential for embedding directly into PHBV packaging. To explore user interaction, a simulated supermarket shelf and pantry demonstrated how branding could shift to smartphones or mixed-reality headsets, enabling reuse, refill systems, and digital engagement. At end-of-life, the PHBV can biodegrade and the copper recovered via biomining, producing precursor powder for conductive ink.

E-waste, food waste, and packaging waste are often at odds. Extending shelf life demands more packaging. Smart features risk adding electronics. Meanwhile, sustainable packaging, especially reuse systems, often call for standardisation, whether in form or material. However, marketing wants differentiation, and regenerative food systems yield more variations in the food we eat. The ZeroTag material system can detach branding from packaging, accelerating adoption of smart grocery technologies, especially in refill systems, where the contents of a container can change over time. The food industry can finally align production with actual consumer demand, eliminating waste across the supply chain.

ZeroTag uses PHBV, a food-safe, compostable biopolymer derived from agricultural waste, as a substrate for copper conductive ink. Unlike most mainstream bioplastics, PHBV is also biocompatible and marine-safe, making it environmentally sound even if it escapes collection. At end-of-life, ZeroTag can be mechanically shredded, which is a major issue in e-waste recycling due to inseparable composite materials. Since shredding actually accelerates both biodegradation and biomining, ZeroTag is compatible with the recycling infrastructure that exists today. biodegradation, common Bacillus species found in soil can break down PHBV. For bioleaching, Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans is proposed, as it thrives in low pH conditions that suppress Bacillus, allowing a controlled, sequential recovery process. Biomining yields copper powder via precipitation, which can be reused as a precursor for new conductive ink. Because this process requires little energy, copper recovery can be decentralised and occur closer to where products are used rather than manufactured. This is critical in a globalised economy where production, consumption, and recycling often occur in different regions. This the moonshot version of ZeroTag. To explore its commercial potential, we designed small step towards this vision—one of which is ZeroTag: The Refill E-Pantry, which won the Good Design Award last year.