Waste & material traceability solution for sustainable facilities
Operation in the waste management sector is defined as the collection, transport, processing and recovery, recycling, disposal, and monitoring of waste materials. Operations strategy can be considered as part of a planning process that coordinates operational aims with those of the larger organization. Since the aims of the larger organization change over time, the operations structure must be designed to estimate future needs. The operations capabilities of a company can be viewed as a portfolio best suited to adapt to the changing service and product needs of the company’s customers.
In solid waste management industries, professionals value operational efficiency and they are constantly working to improve field performance. From collecting to processing, operations must be run efficiently and smoothly. One small trouble in daily operations can create a backlog of materials that can reduce productivity and cause a waste management business to play “catch up” for the rest of the week.
Waste management operations phases include;
The waste collection is defined as placing waste collection bins, collecting waste from those bins, and accumulating trash in the location where the collection vehicles are emptied. For municipal solid wastes, the most common collection services are alley, curb, and backyard collection. The activities involved in the collection of solid wastes can be resolved into four part:
Waste transfer and transport concern the activities of moving waste from the local waste collection locations to the regional waste disposal site in large waste transport vehicles.
Waste processing and recovery correspond to the facilities, equipment, and techniques employed to recover reusable or recyclable materials from the waste stream. The separation of solid waste could be at the source or the final stage before the disposal of solid waste. Furthermore, chemical and biological transformation processes are utilized to reduce the volume and weight of waste requiring disposal. It is crucial to split the recyclable materials.
Recycling defines activities such as refilling bottles for reuse and remanufacturing products for resale to consumers. By recycling, materials are collected and used as raw materials for new products. The process of recycling includes collecting the waste that can be recycled, separating them by type, processing them into new forms that are sold to manufacturers, and finally, purchasing and using goods made by reprocessed materials.
Disposal involves the activities aimed at the systematic disposal of waste materials in locations such as landfills or waste-to-energy facilities.
In the transfer & transport part of the phases of waste management operations, it is important to make the whole process efficient. Smart waste management system provides that. In the past, tracking devices have been used primarily for determining routes with maps and driving directions. Now, they have more complex programming and can monitor more detailed information with real-time data, including fuel consumption, vehicle usage, the speed of the fleet vehicle, route optimization, resource planning, periodic reporting to analyze operation performance, and the amount of time the vehicle was idle.
Due to that, real-time data exchange is essential to increasing the efficiency and productivity of employees and creating more efficient trash pickup driving routes. Employees working for waste management companies are now held accountable for each trip they take with scheduled stops and more efficient and optimal routes. By using real-time data exchange systems in waste trucks and vehicles, waste management companies get benefits such as ensuring the proper usage of vehicles, verifying the efficiency of routes and driver compliance, and providing accurate pickup and delivery estimates.
