Smart Bins – An Innovative Waste Management Solution
What is a smart bin?
Smart bins are designed to recognise different types of waste. A smart system positioned inside the container uses sensors, image recognition and artificial intelligence to do this.
They consist of IoT enabled sensors, which work as real-time indicators to determine if the bins are full or not, and help to customise the waste collection schedule accordingly.
How does a smart bin work?
Before looking at how a smart bin works, let’s have a look at its features:
A communication module (allows notifications to be sent when the bin is ready to by emptied, or if there are any issues)
Compactor (to hold rubbish)
A solar panel (top provide a sustainable energy source for the bin)
Enclosed design (to prevent pests from gaining access to the waste, and to slow down decomposition)
A hopper handle
Here is how a smart bin works-
First, the rubbish is placed into the container, and the sensor measures its capacity. The compactor then compresses the rubbish and measures the compacted trash resistance. Finally, notifications are sent via e-mail or SMS when the bin is full and ready to be emptied.
What are the benefits of using a smart bin?
A smart bin offers many advantages. For instance:
Smart bins are environmentally friendly. By reducing the need for collection visits, smart bins lower emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases. As a result, we’re getting cleaner and safer streets.
Using a gentle compaction system maximises bin capacity, allowing you to keep more waste in the bin.
The smart bins have been standardised in a way that they can be emptied using existing collection equipment.
Smart bins increase recycling rates.
Compared to traditional recycling bins, smart bins take up less space on the footpath, reducing clutter and making it easier for people to move around the city.