Smart technology has improved how we manage our waste by creating tools that address the main issues related to waste management, such as cleaning, collecting, transporting, recycling, and disposing of waste. The digital tools used frequently in the solid waste industry are called Smart Waste Technologies (SWT), and they use a combination of robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, data analysis, and communication technology to help manage waste more efficiently.
Advanced technology has a huge impact on solid waste management in developing countries that may lack sufficient access to public services. According to Paula Guerra, a solid waste and inclusive recycling consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), "One of the main challenges to proper solid waste management in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is the production of efficient, reliable, and timely information on the entire solid waste chain by the entities that provide services and regulate management systems."
Every stage of solid waste management can be made more efficient via the application of digital technologies. For example, automation can be used to improve sorting. It can also enable efficient identification of materials that are prohibited at a particular landfill or facility.
Drones, which have become increasingly advanced, can be used to monitor and collect useful data at landfills. They are a more efficient method of identifying illegal dump sites as well. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data analysis are just a few of the other digital technologies that can vastly improve waste management, from curbside collection and recovery of materials to billing residential customers and managing multiple bins or dumpsters.
Guerra identifies collection logistics as the area in which most innovation has taken place so far. Coordination of staff and equipment, data collection, and task planning for contractors are all made easier with the utilization of digital technologies.
"Communication technologies, such as mobile apps for waste collection services, established communication channels between service providers and waste producers and produced data for personalized invoices," Guerra explains. "In many cases, these invoices contain QR codes or NFC tags, which provide information on the type and quantity of waste and its specific location for collection scheduling and delivery."