Concealed Automated Trash Bin with Shredder for Solid Wastes

Abstract

The common difficulty in populated developing countries like the Philippines is inappropriate waste management practices. The improper use of waste bins and waste segregation are some of those. One of the major causes is the irresponsibility of the people. As expected, the consequences are environmental and health risks experienced by people. The countermeasure to minimize these risks is the solution proposed by people, particularly the development of an automated segregation system. The waste bins are designed to be concealed to conserve space, slow down the decomposition rate and reduce the foul odor of waste. The design is fully automated to minimize direct contact with the waste. The classifying section is capable of collecting and segregating waste using a gripper, servo motors, ultrasonic, capacitive, and photoelectric sensors. To conserve power, the segregated waste is held in a storage bin prior to shredding. Shredded waste is routed to their respective transport bins for collection after shredding.The ultrasonic sensors provide data about the capacity of the transport bins and allow the GSM module to send an SMS informing the concerned authority regarding the bins’ status. These messages facilitate easier waste collection. Two tests were conducted to determine the performance of the prototype: response-time and garbage level detection tests. The result shows that the prototype performed well and can successfully achieve the desired function. It took 23.745 and 2.711 seconds to collect and segregate the waste, respectively. Likewise, the monitoring system successfully expedited the checking of the waste bins. However, it is recommended to include quality of output and SMS delay tests. These tests can improve the overall performance of the prototype.