Waste Management
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Glendale, AZ uses vehicle telematics technology to streamline garbage collection
The City of Glendale employed telematics software to optimize the day-to-day collection of waste. This technology sped up and streamlined solid waste operations and kept vehicles on the road for only the minimum amount of time possible, which reduces wear and tear, emissions and saves money for the city. In the past, the department issued paper maps to every truck operator. Staffers sometimes drove routes themselves to ensure that drivers didn’t miss any part of their routes.
Glendale, AZ
United States
Surprise, AZ pilots 3D printing technology to reduce and reuse plastic waste
QBE North America has announced that the city of Surprise, Arizona, has been selected as the pilot site for an initiative aimed at helping cities and other sites reduce plastic waste. The initiative, developed by United Kingdom-based company Automedi, was the winner of the 2022 QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge, hosted by Boston-based Leading Cities in partnership with QBE North America.
Surprise, AZ
United States
Northern Beaches, NSW trials new methods for diverting engineered timber from local landfills
The one-year pilot with Kimbriki experimented with household collection, drop-offs, and manual recovery from landfills. Residents filled out a form requesting pick-ups for particle board, pallets, and other wood waste over 11 weeks. Kimbriki opened a source-separated collection point for discounted disposal and removed timber from their landfill. The gathered materials were sent to local manufacturer ReDirect for use in building materials and furniture.
Northern Beaches, NSW
Australia
Inner West, NSW aims problem waste disposal message at young residents with The CRC Rap
Council officials pursued a creative solution to the disproportionally low use of Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) by residents aged 18 to 34. A Recovery Projects Officer wrote lyrics for the song with staff from council teams participating in the rap. The CRC Rap highlights how the St. Peters and Leichhardt CRCs handle problem waste like electronic devices, paints, and batteries. Inner West placed the full song on its CRC page with a shorter version for social media posts.
Inner West, NSW
Australia
Oxfordshire County Council, GB addresses growing source of waste with Recycle Your Vape program
Oxfordshire, Oxford City, and Cherwell received £40,000 from Material Focus as part of the organization's Recycle Your Electricals effort. Residents can dispose of their single-use vaping products at 60 hot-pink collection spots in local shops and bars. The initiative adds dedicated bins for vape collection at seven household waste recycling centres. Recycle Your Vape also offers kerbside collection of vapes in Cherwell alongside rubbish and recycling.
Oxfordshire County Council, GB
United Kingdom
Cherwell District Council, GB
United Kingdom
+1Eurobodalla, NSW partners with Repurposing for Resilience on solar panel reuse project
A drop-off center at Moruya Transfer Station accepts panel drop-offs for free, thus eliminating the AUD 10 fee charged at other stations. RfR's volunteer engineers and electricians evaluate panels for potential reuse or recycling. Panels meeting the standards for reuse are distributed or sold at steep discounts with warranties to low-income households. The group repurposes non-functional panels into products like outdoor furniture and dog kennels.
Eurobodalla, NSW
Australia
Lubbock, TX addresses long-standing vacancies with its CDL training program for new hires
The city's Solid Waste Management team was 60% staffed at the program's approval, leading to overtime expenses and collection schedule changes. Lubbock is partnering with South Plains College on a two-week certification course for newly hired operators. Participants receive free CDL training and licensure while working as city apprentices. This incentive reduces upfront costs for new drivers, existing operator workloads, and solid waste collection expenses.
Lubbock, TX
United States
Birmingham City Council, GB takes aim at illegal dumping with its AI-enabled CCTV camera pilot
City officials received a £45,000 national grant for a pilot in Aston, Erdington, and North Edgbaston. Cameras placed near dumping hotspots are trained to identify waste placed anywhere other than public bins. Each incident triggers a notification to local officials along with relevant imagery for timely investigations and enforcement. The cameras complement signage about penalties for illegal dumping and an online complaint form.
Birmingham City Council, GB
United Kingdom
South Stormont, ON collaborates with Amb.AI on smarter approaches to waste collection
Ninety percent of complaints received by town officials involve missed trash collections. The town and Amb.AI are partnering on an AI-powered system for optimized waste management. Amb.AI will turn data on fleet availability and the number of stops into a map of the shortest and most cost-effective routes. The platform's waste management focus will expand to other town fleets including snow plows and public works trucks.
South Stormont, ON
Canada
Exeter City Council, GB converts hard-to-recycle plastic waste into park benches
Exeter collects plastic waste including bags and films from household collections, street cleaning, and beach sweeping. The city's Materials Reclamation Facility granulates the plastics and delivers materials to Circular11 for the construction of park benches. City officials note that the benches can be recycled at the end of their useful lives. This project introduces low-value waste into Exeter's circular economy efforts and offers a blueprint for other councils.
Exeter City Council, GB
United Kingdom
Eurobodalla, NSW pilots positive reinforcement for residents who assist with litter removal
Eurobodalla partnered with Coles Supermarkets on an incentive pilot across the community. Council officers who spot visitors picking up cigarette butts and other litter may issue AUD 25 grocery vouchers. Incentives for litter picking and fines of up to AUD 450 for littering provide new options for enforcement in public places. This pilot is a component of the council's collaboration with the NSW Environment Protection Authority on The Cigarette Butt Bin Project.
Eurobodalla, NSW
Australia
Leduc, AB tests the effectiveness of artificial intelligence on organic waste collection
City officials outfitted a waste collection vehicle with AI-powered cameras for the pilot. The contents of each household's bins are analyzed for contamination by plastic bags, films, and other waste. Photos and location data allow Leduc to send letters to offending households with tips for proper bin use. This pilot runs through December 2023 and educates the approximately 10% of city households found not to comply with sorting requirements.
Leduc, AB
Canada