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The goal of IoT applications in waste management results in leaner operations and higher quality services.
FREMONT, CA: With the increase of population density and the rural exodus to cities, urbanization presents a tremendous problem related to waste management. Currently, there are increasing initiatives by governmental and public authorities in relation to waste management to improve the collection, and responsible disposal of waste generated efficiently. The tremendous technological development that has led to innovations in the waste management sector is undoubtedly the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is all set to underpin the significant change and represent the evolution of smart waste management.
The success of any IoT lies in the collection of a vast amount of data, that too in real-time, and the transforming of those data into insights on which users can take action. As sensor technology advances, several objects are being connected to the internet to exchange information interactively. This is true in the case of waste management too. The primary IoT application in waste management currently is the automated route optimization of garbage pickup trucks. These trucks follow a specific route every day to collect trash. For those waste management departments, which are yet to leverage IoT connectivity, the waste collectors usually don't know how full a trash bin is before they see it. This consumes a lot of time, fuel, and money. IoT applications in this scenario are improving the efficiency by giving sanitation workers insights into the actual fill level of disposal units.
Sensor-enabled garbage bins can collect information on fill level, temperature, location, or whatever data type the waste management department finds relevant and useful. With a user interface revealing the sites and fill levels of all trash bins, water collectors can get an automated route planned that has prioritized areas in urgent need for clean up and avoid disposal units that still have room. These bins are not only streamlining fleet logistics activities and reducing fuel consumption, but they are also recording the number of times trashes are emptied and how fast they fill up. Combining such data with statistics from other systems can facilitate more insightful actions like planning the better distribution of trash bins and avoiding problems.
Sanitation departments are beginning to unearth values by leveraging IoT in waste management. A willingness to engage with several agencies to use IoT applications in waste management can surely build a better and more sustainable future.
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