The Internet of Things — And How It Drives Cheaper Waste Management

“What the Internet of Things?”

You know what the regular internet is because you use it all the time. “The internet of things”, at its most basic, just describes the growing network of individual items and appliances with built-in internet connectivity.

Check out the above image, and think of each of those red dots as representing some of piece of equipment connected wirelessly to the internet.

Think about controlling things around your home from your smartphone — heating, TV, security systems. Many people already have access to these technologies, even if they haven’t heard of the term.

And it goes beyond just your home. Once you think about the power of a device’s ability to report in a particular piece of information or perform a task via remote instruction? It’s obvious how the internet of things is and will continue to be responsible for an upheaval in how we do things.

If you’re ready to embrace it.

The Internet of Things in Waste Management

Let’s talk about your organization’s waste. Chances are you’re like many — a hauler comes to pick stuff up on a schedule. But the process is fraught with inefficiency.

Some days, a hauler shows up and finds near-empty dumpsters. Other times, something happens and your bins end up too full. So, you get wasted trips you pay for, and you get extra fees you also pay for.

Perhaps you could improve efficiency by having somebody physically checking how full the bins get. But when you’ve got a lot of locations to manage, this is not a trivial task. Especially if you want to keep a reliable record of how full each of your bins are getting.

Where the Internet of Things comes in to revolutionize all this is with automated sensors.

Using Sensors in Waste Management

Fit your bins with sensors that let you know how full they’re getting, and you get full control of the amount of waste you're managing. You’ll get notified when something needs attention — anywhere — and you can use a digital record to identify trends and spot opportunities for improvement.

Now, your bins are more than just bins. They’re fully connected members of a digital waste management network that corresponds to real-world, real-time conditions. No lag. No sending someone to check. No negotiation with a hauler to measure volume. And no records getting lost.

More Data Means Better Decisions

With the Internet of Things underpinning your waste management strategy, you’re getting reliable data every day. With it, you take the guesswork out of minimizing your waste management cost.

When you have a system like this in place, improvement becomes a process of optimization. Numbers at your disposal, you can address things like your pickup schedule and your waste diversion ratio and work to push them toward more efficiency and cost savings.

Here’s How You Get Started

Not gonna lie: we think our solution’s pretty neat. With Recycle Smart, you get those sensors for your bins — as well as access to our Waste Wizards. They’ll help you get the absolute most out of your new Internet of Things, manage your hauler agreements, and more.

Want to start? Why not give a demo a try? We’ll show you exactly how everything works, nice and easy, with an expert guiding you every step of the way.