Design & Implementation of Smart Waste Collection System with Optimized Route Planning

Abstract

With the growth of the global population, the challenge of waste management has become more complex. Effective waste management is no longer just a necessity but a critical concern for public health, urban sanitation, and ecological sustainability. Identifying the filled public waste bins in cities and collecting them effectively is one of the essential initial tasks of waste management, to address it more effectively and cost-efficiently the "Smart waste collection system with optimized route planning" is designed. The prototype system utilizes microcontrollers, a Photo- Voltaic power supply unit, ultrasonic sensors, and a wireless module to detect and communicate bin status in a multi-hop wireless network cluster. Each bin is equipped with an Ultrasonic sensor to measure the garbage level and the data is transmitted through neighboring bins to a central control unit using the ISM-based wireless communication multi-hop network, enabling remote monitoring. When bins are detected as filled, their locations are processed to determine the shortest and most efficient route for the collection of garbage using the Google Maps Directions API. The system was tested successfully using a prototype with three waste bins equipped with sensing units, and setting the location on the maps through a cloud-based web visualization built using basic HTML, Python, and Javascript, the system performed accurate fill-level detection and real-time route planning for garbage collection. This solution offers a cost-effective and scalable approach to smart urban waste management by reducing manual monitoring and optimizing collection routes with traffic awareness.