AI is driving extraordinary developments, across almost all industries throughout the world.
With this ever-advancing new technology at our disposal, teams can make their operations more efficient and precise, while reducing the risk of human error – win-win!
The waste management sector is one example of an industry that’s set to experience huge changes in the next few years, thanks to the advancement of AI technologies.
To help you stay ahead of the curve, below we’ve explored the role of AI in waste management, and how new technologies are being used to help companies manage and reduce their waste.
How AI is being used in waste management
AI is having an increasing role in waste management, and will prove key to improving the efficiency of these processes.
There is scope to incorporate AI into waste management in a wide range of different ways, including:
- Creating smart waste management systems which use huge swathes of data, to make intelligent data-driven decisions
- Deploying advanced hyperspectral cameras and smart sensors which can capture a far wider range of visual information, even identifying the chemical characteristics of different waste materials
- Using machine learning in an automated waste sorting system, which can analyse images of materials, and understand the data and descriptions given to it
- Creating new systems that can consistently adapt, as new types of packaging, waste and other materials emerge (at a far faster rate than our current systems can achieve)
- AI robotics sorting and handling materials at an infinitely higher degree of precision and efficiency (which humans alone simply could not achieve)
- Making all waste management processes less laborious and labour-intensive
- Using data analytics to track and better understand the data that is gathered, and identify areas where existing systems and processes could be improved
- Creating AI algorithms that can predict patterns of waste generation and forecast predicted volumes of waste, enabling waste management companies to better prepare themselves
- Discovering new ways to dispose of waste, which have a lesser impact on the environment
- Helping drivers to optimise their collection routes, making processes more efficient and reducing fuel consumption
- Creating new guides and information packs to inform consumers, and help them to implement more effective waste management initiatives
- Using IoT smart waste bins, which use AI sensors to track the bin’s waste levels and then, when the bin is full, automatically schedule waste collection
How AI is being used in reducing waste
Beyond new technologies that enable us to manage waste more efficiently, AI also enables us to completely rethink the way we approach waste.
With AI, we can adopt new approaches, in which waste is reduced on a more strategic and consistent basis.
AI is being used to reduce waste by:
- Recovering materials far more precisely and efficiently
- Using AI sensors to identify and separate wasted materials, with more accuracy than is possible for humans
- Unlocking new opportunities for the reuse of different materials, and creating new streams for the circular economy
- Discovering new ways to reuse waste materials, which keeps the volume of waste sent to landfill at the minimum Â
- More effectively identifying, characterising and separating waste materials, thereby minimising the volume of waste that goes to landfill
- Minimising human error, such as issues like contaminating recyclable materials, and mistakes when sorting materials
- Using data analytics to devise precise strategies that minimise waste production at the source
How AI is being used in improving recycling
AI is also having a dramatic impact on recycling, with these technologies being used to make recycling processes across the country more efficient, precise and successful.
The most effective ways that AI is being used to improve recycling include:
- Maximising recycling and recovery rates, while also improving the quality of the recovered materials
- Optimising the sorting processes and categorising materials with maximum accuracy
- Enabling recycled materials to achieve higher quality standards
- Detecting contaminants in the materials, and then identifying the most effective ways to remove them
- Helping waste management businesses to make their recycling processes more cost-effective
- Helping teams to quickly create targeted awareness and recycling education campaigns
- Ensuring no materials are unnecessarily sent to landfill
- Supporting businesses’ efforts to adapt, and manage new or changing waste types and legislation
- Giving business the increased capabilities required to manage complex types of waste, such as e-waste
- Ensuring processes are readily scalable
- Making all recycling processes less laborious and labour-intensive
- Ensuring recycling processes are safe, as processes with hazardous materials can be handled by robots
Why is it important that we utilise AI waste management technologies?
Reports predict that AI has the power to reduce our waste levels by as much as 20% by 2030.
With ambitious sustainability targets on the horizon, and an ever-developing landfill crisis, such potential could not come sooner.
Across the country, there have been extensive efforts to reduce the waste that we produce, and develop sustainable alternatives that future-proof our way of life.
While these efforts have been fantastic – and are driving results – AI has the ability to take these improvements to an entirely new level.
As such, waste management businesses across the world are eagerly exploring the potential of AI technologies. Then, once their power is unlocked, the way we approach waste management will be revolutionised.
At EnviroCraft, we are committed to using the latest, state-of-the-art waste management approaches. So, if you’d like to find out more about our investments in AI and smart technology, or use our team to enhance your recycling processes, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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