Digital technology will enable more valuable materials to be recovered from waste streams, lowering the number of raw materials mined, mitigating the associated environmental and climate implications.
Fremont, CA: The ongoing advancements in miniaturization, higher computing power, and lowering costs have all contributed to the growing adoption of digitalization technology. Waste management is not an exception, and it is benefiting from the advancement of digital technologies as well. Robotics, IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data analytics are examples of specific digital technologies that are being used and predicted to impact the waste industry's efficiency in the future significantly.
Digital technology: A revolution in waste management
Digital technology is being used in almost every aspect of waste collecting. Advances in digitalization have transformed several parts of collecting, particularly logistics – the process of organizing, scheduling, and dispatching tasks, workers, and vehicles. Digital tools can enhance the process by storing, processing, analyzing, and optimizing the required data. In real-time, information gathered throughout the collecting process, such as task progress or incidents, can be monitored.
As more data is gathered, it becomes more complicated. Optimization algorithms, in such cases, can assist in identifying the best options for allocating resources such as cars or labor. Telematics, such as navigation and vehicle tracking software, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and similar technologies are essential. Improved efficiency is the most visible outcome of the enhancements. The IoT, which includes applications such as smart bins and robotics for semi-autonomous trash collection vehicles, is another example.
The paperwork, communication, and billing processes are all part of the waste collecting process. As in other industries, the transition from paper-based administration systems to digital systems will enhance the efficiency of procedures and information flow. Digital order processing, digital identity tags for waste bins and containers, digital invoicing and payment, digital user interfaces for customer communication, and integration of public garbage collection companies with other relevant governmental databases are among the technologies involved in digitalized waste management.
These digital technologies can be used to collect waste-related data from the public if they are used in documentation processes. They can promote a circular economy by providing a better understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns of waste generation with the help of data analytics.
