Smart Waste Tracking Technologies for End Users

OBJECTIVES

Develop smart waste-tracking technologies to help councils better monitor and manage waste

Reduce soft plastic contamination (like plastic bags) of recycling

Build tools using cameras, sensors and AI to detect and track waste contamination

Team

Pubadu Pathirana

Lead Researcher

Mayuri Wijayasundara

Research Fellow

Minh Quan

PhD

Partners

Deakin University

Cleanaway Waste Management

Brimbank City Council

Progress

SUMMARY

The project is the development of a smart waste-tracking system that uses image recognition and AI to help local councils reduce contamination in recycling. The industry partner is the City of Brimbank with input from other LGAs. The partners identified the priority contamination issue as soft plastic bags in recycling collection. The technology being explored includes smart bins that can separate waste, bin sensors such as image and video capture to detect bin-fill levels and identify pollutants, and RFID tagging of waste to enable separation.

A proof of concept is being developed and tested in collaboration with large Australian waste management and resource recovery company Cleanaway Waste Management. The aim is to create a practical system councils can use to cut down on contamination and improve recycling outcomes.

OPPORTUNITIES

Research grants available for waste projects

Collaboration opportunities with government bodies, LGAs and academic institutions