Waste management is an environmental concern in modern cities across the world. Developed cities boast of many industries and manufacturing sites, which results in massive pollution. To mitigate this, it’s necessary to adopt an effective waste management system.
How can cities reduce waste pollution in the face of population growth and rapid urbanization? How can they implement effective waste management solutions, such as smart bins, to clean the environment? Keep on reading to find out.
What Is Smart Waste Management System?
A smart waste management system (SWMS) is any system that adopts technology to make waste collection more efficient. It considers the use, misuse, and reuse of waste such as thrash. Likewise, it explains how waste methods need to be done for environmental sufficiency.
The very nature of SWMS is to leverage technology for improved waste management. Therefore, contextually, it follows technological trends, such as robotics, the internet of things, and spatial technology to influence waste management decisions.
Uses, Merits, And Demerits Of Smart Waste Management System
An SWMS allows real-time waste monitoring to ensure no waste material is misused. Aside from that, it involves analytics and geolocation to predict bin fullness, plan routes, detail databases, and execute proper waste disposal.
Additionally, it’s a tool of waste optimization in the sense that it’s roundly concerned about minimizing waste while maximizing eco-friendliness. Unlike traditional waste management systems, a smart one knows what to do with water products, how to execute them, and where.
However, SWMS doesn’t come without demerits. One of its disadvantages is job loss. Critics believe smart waste management will lead to lost jobs and structural unemployment. Other weaknesses include faulty technology, high human surveillance, and personal information infringement.
Solutions And Strategies To Improve Smart Waste Management System In Cities
Waste reduction in cities can be encouraged by emphasizing the reuse of materials, repair, and sharing of products. The government can also implement policies for smart use. Aside from those, here are other strategies and solutions to improve smart waste management in cities:
- Adoption And Optimization Of Technology
With technology, waste management agencies can gain real-time insight into the nature, consistency, and distribution of waste. Historical data can inform short and long-term waste management plans alongside their development. Moreover, mobile apps can be used to overcome the challenge of irregular waste management by tracking waste movement.
- Establishment Of Safe Disposal Sites
Cities can manage waste more ingeniously by establishing a safe disposal site that can serve as a universal waste collection site. Vehicles should be made available across the city to cater to the distance to the disposal site. Waste management agencies should also work with other city sectors to develop and formulate measures to curb waste pollution.
- Enhancement of Recycling Rate
Waste recycling has, over time, proven to be an effective waste management strategy. Cities can benefit more from the process by investing in recycling actions and projects. Waste recycling should be prioritized by getting accurate waste data and recognizing waste materials that can be recycled. Recycling services should also be made easy to use by city occupants.
- Reduction of Waste Production
Measures can be taken to minimize waste. For example, attaching fines to excessive waste disposal can encourage users to create less waste. Charging waste users less for organic and recyclable waste and providing smaller bins for residual waste can also encourage users to generate less waste.
- Outsourcing of Waste Collection
Delegating waste collection duties to private companies can help to increase sanitation. Through delegation, government agencies can send more personnel to manage waste. With more hands, there can be more efficiency and increased productivity. Private companies can fill in the gaps that government actions may fail to fill in.
- Goal-Setting
Setting specific goals gives occupants and waste users a clear and shared understanding of what the city is trying to achieve and how they need to be a part of it in various ways. Goals give direction and serve as markers to measure the effectiveness and productivity of waste management systems. Setting goals also helps to prioritize waste prevention and recycling programs.
- Disposing Of Waste In Bulk
Another smart strategy to improve waste management in cities is to dispose of waste in bulk. Trashes can be collected in separate bins for some days before their disposal. That way, there’s less pressure on transportation to disposal sites, thereby reducing emissions. While smart waste management is crucial, energy conservation is likewise essential.
Conclusion
Smart waste management strategies can play a critical role in helping cities minimize waste accumulation and become more sustainable in the long run. With the methods outlined in this article, cities can overcome cleanliness challenges and improve energy efficiency.
