Waste Container Access Control — iCober SAC
Access control for a container. Online or Offline.
iCober SAC is a standalone access control system for individual waste containers — fitted inside underground and semi-underground containers, in bin stores and on textile banks. It uses NFC/RFID to identify users and can run in the Online version — with NB-IoT or LTE-M cellular communication in LPWA (Low-Power Wide-Area) technology — or Offline, with no permanent network connection.
The device is mounted inside the container and powered by an external, replaceable battery. It requires neither a power supply nor any additional infrastructure at the site.
In the Online version the operator can manage permissions remotely, follow the opening history and receive information about the device's condition. The system can also be extended with a fill-level sensor, whose data appears in the same panel.
Fitting inside an underground container has its own rules — no power, harsher conditions and weaker coverage. We put it in one place: underground waste container access control.
Key features
- 13.56 MHz NFC/RFID and 125 kHz RFID
- battery power
- up to 2 years on the standard battery, extendable to 5 years
- LTE-M / NB-IoT connectivity in the Online version
- optional fill-level measurement
- RGB LED indicator or an optional display
- memory for up to 1000 users per container
- the reader holds the user data in its own memory and can operate without a network connection
- IP67 rating
- operating range −25 °C to +60 °C
- replaceable modules on Plug & Play connectors — battery, reader, modem, speaker, lock and sensor
- mounting accessories included
How to open a container
- Hold the card or phone to the reader, 2–5 cm away.
- Keep it there for about a second.
- Wait for confirmation: a signal on the device, and on a phone also a vibration.
- Green light — the lock is released and the container opens. On the display version the screen reads OPEN.
- Red — no permission. The card is not registered, or has no access to this container. The display reads ACCESS DENIED.
Using a phone instead of a card requires the iCober Key app and NFC enabled.
Why SAC
Preventing unauthorised use
The container opens only after correct authentication — with a registered card or phone. Only authorised users can therefore access the containers, which helps prevent unauthorised waste disposal.
Better separation
Every opening is recorded and tied to a particular user. Seeing one's own results, and the option of rewarding correct sorting, help build better habits and cut sorting mistakes.
Who, and when
Every opening of the container is recorded with the time and the identifier of the card or device used. Actions by administrators and technicians are recorded too, as are access attempts by people without permission. That builds a complete access history, usable for analysing use, running the system and billing.
Retrofits into an existing container
We mount the device inside the container — including one that is already in place and in use. It runs on an external, replaceable battery, so there is no need to replace the container or run power to it.
SAC matched to your needs
We can configure and adapt SAC to particular requirements — from basic access control to solutions with fill measurement, messages for the user and additional safeguards.
- A larger battery
- A colour display
- A speaker with spoken prompts
- Fill-level measurement
- DESFire EV3 credentials
- Changes to order
Online or Offline version?
| Feature | Online | Offline |
|---|---|---|
| Permission management | Remotely from the panel, or locally by phone | Locally with a service card or a phone |
| Blocking a lost card | Immediately, remotely | At the next service visit |
| Event history | Available live in the panel | Optionally: stored in the device memory, read during service |
| Fill-level measurement | Optional, data available in the panel | Not available |
| Subscription fee | Yes | None |
Not sure which version to choose? Read: Online or Offline — which access control version should you choose →
You replace a module, not the device
Every main part of SAC — the battery, reader, modem, speaker, lock and fill sensor — connects through a sealed Plug & Play connector. A damaged part is swapped on site, in minutes, without dismantling the whole device and without sending it back to a service centre.
That settles two things people rarely ask about before buying, and which decide the cost in later years. The first is failure: a wrecked reader or a flooded speaker means replacing one module, not the whole device. The second is technology ageing — when operators switch off the network the modem uses, you replace the connectivity module, not the fleet.
The same design lets the device be built for a particular deployment: with a display or with light signalling, with fill measurement or without it — with no separate hardware variant to design.
API and integration
Connect the data from iCober devices with the system you already use. The Online version allows integration over an API — with no need to change your current software.
Data and analytics
Every opening adds to the event history. In iCober Cloud you can check who used the container and when, follow the state of the devices and analyse data from the whole installation.
Data and analytics in iCober Cloud →
History and statistics for the resident in the iCober Key app →
SAC in action
The video loads only after you click — your browser then connects to Google, which receives your IP address and may store data on your device.
Let's see whether SAC works for you
Tell us what containers you have, where they are and what you need.
Downloads
Full technical documentation — installation guide, integration notes and protocol — is sent on request.