The circular economy has become part of more and more people’s habits. The implementation of new technological tools has a significant impact on the industry, as it helps to improve production processes, and it also contributes. to increase New ways to recycle Also, waste management is changing.
The new life that technology gives to the obsolete, the direct benefit it provides to environmental protection and the impact it has on the local economy of many regions are already known. This is possible because the cycle of raw materials circulates over a long period of time, moving from a linear model where they are extracted and finally thrown away, to a model where these materials are consumed and reused.
Technology and recycling, new industrial models
Technology is important The recycling sector needs to be given a second life to respond to the growing problem. According to the United Nations, what do we do with the nearly 10,000 tons of waste generated each year around the world?
Among those alarming numbers are waste fences 50 tons were produced Also known as e-waste or e-wasteThis means that all the obsolete devices are becoming obsolete due to the speed at which electronics are advancing.
The introduction of new technologies has overcome the limitations of its role in improving the management of natural resources, leading to new tools to use more raw materials and produce less waste.
The Technological innovation also creates jobs Not related before New industrial models of production and recyclingand has the potential to promote other production models where raw materials are wasted, as well as create new applications that aim for recycling and reuse.
The Internet of Waste: IoT y Waste
Connectivity is already part of waste management processes. It’s about calling The Internet of Waste what Integrates recycling and functionality Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. There are sites that already use it Big data And sensors to process the data provided by waste collection, the process of selecting and then classifying that waste for proper recycling will be optimized to the maximum.
This is a fact that has been going on for years with programs and initiatives by organizations like Ecoembesand in this, With a simple app, Citizenship is an essential part of these processes.
By providing communities with connectivity to recycle containers, bins and bins, aspects such as volume and type of waste generated can be analyzed in real-time and useful results derived. Equipping vehicles with geolocation sensors will help waste haulers optimize routes to recycling plants. All of this fits within the framework of a connected home Smart Cities.
The benefits of using connectivity with artificial intelligence make it so Technology intervenes in a 360 wayoh In the management cycle of all types of wasteHighly hazardous to health and the environment, this implies classification, separation and treatment for their recycling, reuse or repair or, as a final option, their possible destruction.
5G and Big Data enable recycling
Allows connectivity and digitization of data used in the recycling industry. And data is an imperative Increasingly optimal managementEfficient and sustainable waste. To support this growing number of connected devices, it is essential to have the current power that 5G provides.
Enabling powerful infrastructure is the first step to start this cycle of reuse and recycling and is the engine of change in the industry. 5G connectivity allows for later platforms to be developed Collected data is managed for subsequent analysis using Big Data tools. Components such as containers are transformed into smart objects that provide valuable information and traceability about the type of waste, the area where it is deposited or the frequency of use of said containers for its disposal.
3D technology to reuse waste
3D printing is a great example of how technology and recycling are linked. To give a second life in vain. The reason is that discarded plastic can be reused as a material for new printing projects: from furniture to the production of prosthetics.
In addition to plastic waste, companies are working on creating other 3D printing materials from organic waste such as wood or steel.
Other branches of science and technology are used in creating new materials from other recycled materials, such as nanotechnology to improve recycling processes and make them more efficient; and biotechnology for reuse of organic wastes.
