Waste Management with the Use of Heuristic Algorithms and Internet of Things Technology

Sensors (Basel). 2022 Nov 14;22(22):8786. doi: 10.3390/s22228786.

Abstract

Studies have been performed to improve the process of waste management. They were fulfilled by changing the base of waste logistics management using a combination of intelligent algorithms and the IMPACT IoT platform instead of a human factor. The research was carried out on the example of real data with respect to waste management in a given area. The proposed solution includes a program that simulates the filling of specific waste containers located in various areas. The determined aspects are inconveniences on the routes, affecting the time of moving between the receiving points and the distances between the containers. The variability of the speed and intensity of the containers filling up over time is an additional factor taken into account. The proposed methods yielded the performance of the control of the containers' filling status in real time, which apparently results in the possibility of a reaction to the current demand just in time. The proposed solution enables the improvement of the waste logistics management process, including avoiding the too-frequent emptying of containers or overfilling them. The combination of the device prototype, the simulation program, and the developed algorithms opens the possibility for further research in the smart city and optimization areas.

Keywords: IMPACT IoT platform; Tabu search; genetic algorithm; heuristic methods; logistics management optimization; waste management.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Heuristics
  • Humans
  • Internet of Things*
  • Technology
  • Waste Management* / methods

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.