The city of Medicine Hat waste collection trucks that empty the green organics carts used to dispose of residential yard waste materials, and food waste materials in select pilot program areas, will soon employ artificial intelligence (AI) technology to detect contamination in the materials collected.
The AI technology, by Prairie Robotics, uses a software program and cameras installed inside the hopper of the truck to monitor the type of materials that are being disposed.
The program can detect contamination in the green cart materials, such as a plastic bag, the camera takes a picture, blurring everything but the unacceptable material to maintain public privacy.
Using (GPS) data, the address from which the contents are emptied is assigned to the picture. A postcard is then generated and sent to the residents in the neighbourhood to provide guidance and education about the organics collection program and the materials that are accepted.
Contamination like garbage, plastic, rocks, and cardboard in the green organics carts is a growing concern for the City. Depending on the level of contamination in the truck, there can be significant time and cost associated with manually removing materials.
Unexpected contamination can cause safety hazards for staff, and may become windblown, requiring hand picking at the Waste Management Facility, nearby farms, and ditches.
Currently, the City is only using this technology with the organics collection program since the materials collected in this program see a significant amount of contamination.
Residents can download the Recycle Coach app or refer to medicinehat.ca/organicwaste to learn “What Goes Where” and determine how to properly dispose of materials into each waste cart.
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