###### Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of RFID technology in reducing spoilage and enhancing efficiency across food supply chains. [PERSON] et al. (2014) [10] showed that RFID can effectively monitor environmental conditions during transportation, helping to reduce spoilage in perishable goods. This aligns with findings by [PERSON] et al. (2009) [11], which illustrated how RFID enables comprehensive traceability from farm to fork, thereby increasing transparency throughout the food supply chain. Similarly, [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2014) [12] emphasized RFID's role in improving traceability, which facilitates more efficient product recalls and reduces food waste. [PERSON] et al. (2014) [13] further supported this by demonstrating RFID's potential to optimize logistics and enhance inventory management, leading to lower waste levels. In the dairy sector specifically, [PERSON] et al. (2016) [14] highlighted RFID's impact on improving inventory management and overall supply chain efficiency. [PERSON] et al. (2014) [13] also noted that RFID adoption in the dairy industry increases supply chain visibility, helping to prevent losses from spoilage. Additionally, the traceability provided by RFID supports rapid recalls in case of contamination, thereby reducing health risks [15]. The improved quality control and reduced likelihood of spoilage ensure that consumers receive safer, higher-quality milk, while the overall environmental footprint associated with milk waste is also reduced due to fewer rejected or discarded products [16; 17]. Overall, RFID technology significantly enhances the quality of milk by maintaining optimal handling conditions, improving traceability, and supporting efficient supply chain management. While the potential of RFID technology in reducing FLW has been recognized, there remains an extensive gap in the comprehensive evaluation of its environmental impact, particularly in perishable goods management like the fresh milk supply chain. Prior studies have primarily focused on RFID's efficiency-enhancing capabilities, such as improved traceability, real-time inventory control, and reduced spoilage [13]. However, these studies often fail to fully account for the trade-offs introduced by RFID technology, particularly the lifecycle environmental burdens of RFID tags, infrastructure-related energy consumption, and end-of-life disposal challenges [18; 19]. From an environmental impact perspective within information and communication technology (ICT), the International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T, 2014) outlines three categories of emissions that must be evaluated holistically [20]:  
1. First-order effects: The direct environmental impact of RFID tag production, semiconductor manufacturing, and e-waste generation. 2. Second-order effects: Indirect benefits such as FLW reduction in the milk supply chain, which translates into avoided GHG emissions and resource savings. 3. Higher-order effects: Systemic shifts triggered by RFID adoption, including potential rebound effects where improved supply chain efficiency could encourage overproduction, extended distribution distances, or increased reliance on energy-intensive digital infrastructure. For instance, RFID tags introduce additional environmental burdens not only through raw material extraction, chip and antenna production, and adhesive use but also via data storage energy demands required for real-time tracking systems and cloud-based inventory management, an overlooked but critical sustainability factor [21]. While RFID has demonstrated significant potential in reducing milk waste and thus mitigating the environmental footprint of dairy production, it remains unclear whether these benefits outweigh the total environmental costs of RFID deployment, particularly when scaled across multiple supply chain stages and geographic regions [13]. Moreover, beyond immediate waste reduction, the broader implications of RFID adoption in the dairy sector remain underexplored.