An IoT-based bin level monitoring system for solid waste management

TLDR: The development and validation of a self-powered, simple connect, IoT solution to monitor the unfilled level of trash bins from a central monitoring station is presented and the developed trash bins can be suitable for smart cities.

Abstract: Improper disposal of solid waste that impacts human health and pollutes the environment, arising a need for successful and necessary collection of waste materials. However, most trash bins placed in cities can be seen overflowing due to traditional or inefficient waste management approaches. Therefore, a real-time remote monitoring system is needed to alert the level of garbage in bins to the relevant authority for immediate waste clearance. This paper presents the development and validation of a self-powered, simple connect, IoT solution to monitor the unfilled level of trash bins from a central monitoring station. The end sensor nodes of the developed IoT system are called Bin Level Monitoring Unit (BLMU) which are installed in every trash bin where the unfilled level needs to be monitored. Every BLMU measures the unfilled level of the trash bins and transmits it to a wireless access point unit (WAPU). Each WAPU receives the unfilled level data from several BLMUs and uploads it to the central server for storage and analysis. The waste collection authority can view and analyze the unfilled level of each bin using a smart graphical user interface. The following important experiments were carried out to validate the developed system: (1) the developed bin level monitoring system was tested by filling a trash bin with solid waste at various levels, and the corresponding unfilled level of the trash bin was monitored using the smart graphical user interface. (2) The life expectancy of the BLMU was evaluated as approximately 434 days. (3) The maximum transmission distance between a BLMU and a WAPU is 119 m. (4) The cost of a developed trash bin is 107 USD. Based on the results achieved, the developed trash bins can be suitable for smart cities.