Friend or foe? How AI can accelerate waste reduction aspirations in the face of climate urgency

This year will be remembered as one of extraordinary advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

While the rapid evolution of natural language models has been awe-inspiring, the pace of progress in the waste reduction sector historically has been more measured. However, the industry has made significant strides in recent decades, progressing from open dumps to sanitary landfills and now to modern zero-waste processing centers.

The intersection of traditional solid waste management with AI occurs at a rare moment when waste management challenges seem unyielding.

Up to 40 percent of landfilled material in the U.S. consists of naturally decomposable materials, such as food waste and paper. This staggering statistic with respect to food waste underscores why I was drawn to this industry in the first place more than two decades ago. Although food shortages affect people worldwide, one-third of the nation’s food resources are wasted each day while also creating methane, which is degrading the climate at an increasingly fast pace. It is a poignant example of the work still needed to reduce food waste, and progress in finding a complete solution to this dilemma has been painfully slow.

After a recent interaction with a Brooklyn, New York, resident who was unaware of the connection between food waste and climate change, it got me thinking: Is AI a climate savior?

Admittedly, AI has significant pitfalls. AI for language processing can hallucinate “facts” or entirely miss key points, and verifying sources is more important with AI. But the benefits are too compelling to dismiss.

As a solid waste consulting firm that helps public- and private-sector organizations implement practical solutions to complex materials management challenges, Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc. (GBB) is especially cognizant of the need to understand the risks and rewards of new AI tools. AI has the potential to revolutionize the waste management industry. 

AI is transforming material sorting, collection and worker safety dramatically. The technology offers a chance for the industry to confront waste issues with tools that ensure better outcomes while still requiring human minds to troubleshoot solutions and align stakeholders. Smart machines equipped with AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, enabling us to develop targeted strategies to reduce waste at its source and curb its environmental impact.

With AI-powered recycling, the sorting and separation processes can be improved by advanced imaging systems and machine learning algorithms that enable equipment to identify and sort recyclables with unprecedented accuracy.

Beyond recycling, AI plays a critical role in optimizing waste management systems. By analyzing real-time data, AI can streamline waste collection routes, saving time and resources while reducing the carbon footprint associated with waste transportation.

And, looping back to the Brooklyn resident’s lack of awareness about the connection between food waste and climate change, I see a vital public education role for AI. For example, some brands now are alerting consumers to consider not only the calorie counts of their food but also the carbon impact. This type of immediate and accessible knowledge about the impact of our purchasing choices sharply could influence our drive toward reuse, repurposing and recycling, shifting the balance in how consumers engage with durable and nondurable goods on a daily basis. 

Not surprisingly for a professional services firm like GBB, our openness to AI is high. During a recent company retreat, most employees were excited about the potential of AI. GBB is quickly moving into the future, committed to the best implementation of all technology and continually training toward this aim.

In the collective pursuit of a cleaner, greener world, AI offers the possibility of making more powerful, fully informed decisions and taking proactive measures in real time. We must seize this opportunity and harness the full potential of AI in the waste reduction sector. Together, we can rewrite the narrative of waste (including eliminating it altogether) and build a future that’s brighter and more sustainable. The promise of catapulting our progress lies within reach. Let’s not waste another day.