Future developments and waste technologies will offer a clearer understanding of the benefits and capabilities to address the growing concern on managing waste efficiently
by REJ Reports
The rise in new and innovative technologies has led to the development and production of devices and tools that help in managing and recycling the world’s biggest problem—waste. Through these innovations the industry is finding newer ways to make waste management faster, easier and more cost-efficient.
In 2014, a proposal to invest in smart waste technologies to aid in the collection, energy recovery, and disposal was suggested by Navigant Research in a published report. The research company recommended an investment of $42 billion that would span from 2014 to 2023 to develop the necessary technologies.
With such vast funding, what technological advancements can we expect in the future to aid waste management? Read on below to find out.
Smart Waste Bin
The Internet of Things has practically connected every digital item we own, from cars to home appliances. But, future technologies will make the smart waste bin a mainstream product and a public utility technology. These high-tech garbage containers use intelligent remote monitoring technology that revolutionizes how smart cities manage their waste collection operations. The bins and other containers will be deploying IoT-level sensors that can be monitored via a software solution on PCs or mobile devices. Real-time data will help waste management facilities to manage their container assets and generate routes for garbage truck drivers.
There are also solar-powered waste bins that are equipped with Wi-Fi chips that can connect through public internet connectivity. In June 2016, 10 solar-powered units were installed in the United Arab Emirates and the government plans to deploy several hundred more in the next couple of years to achieve sustainability and waste management goals.
Self-Driving Garbage Trucks
Autonomous vehicles will rule the roads in the future headed by companies like Tesla and Google who are both working on perfecting the development and production of driverless automobiles. As reported by The Verge, Lyft’s president John Zimmer released a 14-page document citing that “the majority” of transportation will be smart or driverless by 2021 and personal car ownership in the U.S. will be ‘a thing of the past’. However, it’s not just the consumer owned cars that will be impacted—self-driving vans and trucks will also see light and the manufacturers of these will look to change the waste management industry forever.
The self-driving, smart vehicles are connected to the intertwined world of the Internet of Things network that also enables car-related devices like GPS to collect and share data. GPS is the brain of the driverless cars, according to digital firm, Telogis, as it guides and helps the vehicle to make the necessary actions to get to where it should go based on the data gathered by the sensors and the tracking system. This technology is now being used by fleet tracking services to help employees and managers stay connected. It also sends fleet management staff updates about the driver and vehicle to make the entire business process efficient. This will be the main device that will power self-driving garbage trucks in the future.
Trash Collecting Robots
Aside from smart garbage cans and trucks, there’s a possibility that garbage collectors will be replaced by robotic ones in the future. In 2015, Volvo surprised the world with their latest project entitled ‘Robot-based Autonomous Refuse handling’ or ROAR. It presents robots that are operated via sensors that can be supervised or be overridden by managers or truck drivers.
“Imagine a robot that quietly and discreetly enters your neighborhood, collects your refuse bin and empties it into the refuse truck,” stated in the Volvo’s press release. “It is done without waking the sleeping families and without heavy lifting for the refuse truck’s driver. This is the purpose of ROAR, a joint project with the aim to develop tomorrow’s smart transport solutions.”
At present, there is still little demand for smart waste solutions due to the lack of awareness regarding the cost and effectiveness of the technologies. However, future developments and solutions will offer a clearer understanding of the benefits and capabilities to address the growing concern on managing waste efficiently.
REJ Reports is a biotech student and an advocate of sustainable, eco-living. She has a wide experience in the field and hopes to expand it using her new skills and knowledge to achieve an environmentally friendly society. She is working on her dissertation paper, which focuses on using technology without adding to the growing e-waste in the world.