Smart waste management system for environmental sustainability: A state-of-the-art review

Efficient waste management system is intricate phenomenon directly related with the air quality, environmental stability, crop growth and human health. The studies have scientifically demonstrated that the waste can be dealt with multiple ways, specifically, transformation of soil conditioners (compost, vermicompost), animal feed (ruminants), energy source (biofuel, producer gas, charcoal, oil) or products (mulch, ethanol). However, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of things (IoT) have expanded the prospectus of involving latest processes/techniques for improved efficiency and cost effectiveness. AI and IoT modules also tend to reduce the heavy reliance on manual labour and associated drudgery. Smart bins with integrated sensors are taking the lead role due to its non-polluting and efficient working mechanism for solid waste management. The data sets from the sensors are processed through Artificial Intelligence techniques for monitoring and maintaining the conditions inside the smart bins. Infact, the classification and segregation of waste, a cornerstone of waste management strategy is achieved through effective utilization of AI and IoT modules. This review paper tends to address current methods and emerging fields in which the wastes can be treated and deployed effectively. However, the effective implementation of AI and IoT techniques must pass the barrier of security and data breach concerns, high cost of implementation and trust among the stakeholders for higher adaptability.