Use of Smart Bins & IoT for Waste Management and Sustainability

Abstract

Now a day all our society faces many problem related to waste collection ,treatment andwaste disposal related issue .all this issue are depend upon growing population of particular area so waste generation is also increases ,to solve this problem we can use various technique in society .Use of Sensors inside bins detect: Fill level (% full),Type of waste (plastic, food, paper, metal), Temperature / hazardous gases (fire prevention, methane monitoring) .so using sensor it is easy to identify quantity of waste generated in society. This smart bins have Benefits for Society like Efficient Collection -reduces unnecessary trips, fuel use, and emissions and Cleaner Environment – prevents overflow, littering, and illegal dumping.

Introduction

Modern societies face major challenges in waste collection, treatment, and disposal due to rapid population growth and increasing waste generation. Smart waste bins provide an effective solution by using sensors to detect fill levels, waste types, and hazardous conditions such as high temperatures or gas emissions. This technology enables efficient waste collection, reduces unnecessary trips, prevents overflow, and supports a cleaner environment.

Early research on smart bins—such as the survey by Soni and Kandasamy (2018)—identified systems focused mainly on monitoring and route optimization, with limited emphasis on waste segregation and AI-based solutions. Most studies highlight IoT-enabled monitoring but offer fewer insights on automatic sorting or actuator-based designs.

The objectives of current research are to evaluate the state-of-the-art smart bin technologies, analyze material separation features, and examine the role of AI, IoT, and sensors in improving waste segregation and recycling efficiency.

The operational smart bin design described in the text segregates waste into magnetic, plastic, and biodegradable categories using magnets, blowers, vibrating meshes, and compression mechanisms. This automated process improves in-situ sorting and supports circular waste management.

Key features of smart bins include sensors, IoT connectivity, data analytics, and real-time notifications. These features enable optimized collection schedules, reduce environmental impact, and improve overall waste management efficiency.

Smart bins offer significant benefits such as dynamic route planning, reduced fuel use, lower carbon emissions, and better recycling outcomes. Future advancements may include systems for handling hazardous nuclear/chemical waste, improved segregation of plastics and biodegradables, briquette formation from organic waste, and software platforms for sharing waste data with municipal agencies.

Conclusion

Due to the high rate of waste generation per person per day, there is an urgent need to adopt alternative and efficient waste management methods. The current system of waste collection is largely dependent on manual labor, making it monotonous, time-consuming, and prone to inefficiencies. In the absence of regular waste collection personnel, neighborhoods often experience unsanitary conditions, posing serious environmental and health risks. In today’s fast-paced world, time efficiency and automation have become crucial. Hence, the integration of Smart Bins offers a promising solution to overcome the limitations of conventional waste collection methods. Deploying Smart Bins in households and workplaces can minimize the need for human involvement in waste segregation and collection. Moreover, implementing such technology at the source of waste generation eliminates the necessity for large centralized segregation facilities, thereby reducing government expenditure on infrastructure setup and maintenance. Ultimately, Smart Bins present a sustainable, time-saving, and cost-effective approach to waste management, contributing significantly toward cleaner and smarter urban environments.

References

[1] In Lee, Kyoochun Lee,The internet of things (iot): Applications, investments, and challenges for enterprisesBusiness Horizons, 58 (4) (2015), pp. 431-440 [2] Andrea Zanella, Nicola Bui, Angelo Castellani, Lorenzo Vangelista, Michele Zorzi,Internet of things for smart cities,IEEE Internet of Things journal, 1 (1) (2014), pp. 22-32 [3] Behzad Esmaeilian, Ben Wang, Kemper Lewis, Fabio Duarte, Carlo Ratti, Sara Behdad,The future of waste management in smart and sustainable cities: A review and concept paperWaste Management, 81 (2018), pp. 177-195

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Pradnya Vishwas Kulkarni, Amit Manohar Patil. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.