Sustainable Waste Management with Big Data & AI

Each day, technology grows more and more sophisticated on an exponential level. While the increasing amount of electronics in our daily lives do cause problems with regards to e-wastes, their impact on the environment, and waste management in general, it is once again technology that can help provide solutions. The newest and most advanced technology in waste management is the use of big data or artificial intelligence (AI) for smart and sustainable management of wastes.

Big Data for Waste Collection

What even is this “big data”? According to the tech giant Oracle, big data is a set of structured, semi-structured, or unstructured data that is so large in volume, variety, and/or complexity that it simply cannot be processed using traditional methods, which are done manually. Instead, these data are processed by cutting-edge computer programs that can analyze them easily and efficiently.

In terms of waste management, big data can be utilized in many different ways. For example:

• Recycling robots equipped with AI capable of identifying food containers from the rest of the recycling waste so they can be separated and not contaminate the other wastes, which makes recycling cheaper, safer, and more efficient
• Smart route planning by analyzing which points in a given area produce the most waste (a.k.a. GIS Analytics)
• Reduce the waste generation of a company by identifying in which department it generates the most amount of waste

Artificial Intelligence for Waste Management

Much like big data, there are many ways artificial intelligence can be utilized in all aspects of life. In recent years, AI has gotten so advanced that it is now able to sustain the needs of smart cities.

There are a lot of components that go into smart city technology. Smart waste management is only one of these components, but it is just as crucial as any other. The most simple and cheapest way to ensure efficient waste management is by putting waste containers in a smart city with automated waste management software already installed. These software — when paired with IoT sensors and Vehicle RFID Reader — provide insight into:

• Fullness levels
• Inside temperature
• Locations, and much more vital information about the containers and their collection status.