The Evolution of Waste Management

From the dawn of known time, anything and everything which could be thought of, seen, touched, or done has or will have had technology applied to it. It is this application which allows great advances in human understanding and growth to occur. In addition, as humans then utilize these various forms of technology, they naturally begin to improve on them. These adjustments towards optimal efficiency evolve the technology even further. It’s a symbiotic relationship whereby each one constantly improves.

In the beginning, humans measured things mentally. This abstract approximation was the only method available. As intelligence grew, counting methods such as fingers, sticks, and stones were utilized. Next came drawing lines in the dirt or carving them into clay tablets. Eventually, someone envisioned and built the abacus. Today, we have microcomputers which can compute millions of equations every second while organizing and archiving all of the acquired data.

At one point in time, our only means of travel resided firmly at the end of our legs. Next came the domestication of horses, the building of wagons and horse drawn carriages. Eventually the combustion engine was envisioned and created, allowing for a far more powerful means of mobility. Today we have smart automobiles which run on clean energy, speak to their owners, and basically pilot themselves.

On and on these advances are occurring in every facet of our lives.

Handwritten letters have become text messages.

Morse code has become Face time and Skype conferences.

Phonographs have become direct steaming audio.

And so on, and so on.

Although it may not be the prettiest thing to discuss, waste collection and disposal is a necessary part of modern civilization: in 2013 alone, America generated approximately two hundred fifty four billion tons of trash. Overall waste management is currently a seventy five billion dollar industry.

What technological advance could be looming on the horizon, poised to change the game for every type of collection system? Meet “Alice™” who works for Shredbin™, a document collection and recycling business operating out of Miami, Florida. Alice Technology™ is an artificial intelligence system coupled with state-of-the-art sensor technology. This very unique sensory application and management system allows Shredbin™ to monitor empty space in their customer’s secure document disposal bins and provide service only when needed. Instead of an agreed-upon collection date which has been roughly guessed at, Shredbin™ can offer just in time service. Hence, their company slogan, “We’ll Be There When you Need Us.”

For the waste management industry, what this means is that technology is being applied to all applications of any fill-able container. Any process which requires measuring the filled volume of a container is able to be automated through the application of Alice Technology™. For customers, this equates to better margins, increased savings, a more secure document disposal system, and a more eco- friendly approach to waste management. Truly, this innovation is an evolution of the way waste will be managed for years to come.