Reference: Digitalisation of textile waste infrastructure

3 000 tons Waste collected per year
Commodity Textile
1200 No. of containers

Company description

EKOCHARITA was founded in 2017 and focuses on the collection, donation, pre-sorting and wholesaling of used clothing, footwear, bed sheets, linen as well as feather-beds, either for further reuse or recycling. Today, Ekocharita is the fastest-growing bin operator in the region. Overall, EKOCHARITA collects textile waste from the network of 1200 containers located mainly in the western part of Slovakia. Annually, they collect approximately 3 000 000 kilograms of clothes and textiles, that would have otherwise ended in a landfill or in the incinerator.

Problem description

Servicing such infrastructure can be rather challenging. Everyday management combines fleet and driver schedules with daily demands for collection of textile containers from customer and citizens. The infrastructure is dynamic – adding new locations, containers often need to be relocated, double-sized, removed or repaired. Ekocharita also receives daily many requests through different channels (Facebook, email, phone..) from cities and citizens.

Expectations from Sensoneo

01 Digitalisation of the container infrastructure
02 Immediate access to the data via the mobile app
03 Ability to update the data on the go
04 Simple planning tool for waste collection costs

Customers, city officials and citizens contact us on a daily basis to get information about where they might dispose of their old clothes. Thanks to Sensoneo app, my people have access to an up-to-date map and can direct customers to the nearest Ekocharita container.

Juraj Kunak CEO Ekocharita

Implementation

All set goals were easily reachable thanks to Sensoneo digital tools. Sensoneo offers Asset Management solution made especially to meet needs in the waste management industry.  Asset management solution consists of a cloud-based web application and mobile app.

 

Mockup of Sensoneo software system platform.

 

Mockups of Sensoneo Citizen app.

In March 2019, Sensoneo uploaded whole Ekocharita textile container network to Smart Waste Management System, cloud-based web application. The inventory consists of the address and capacity. Once we digitalized Ekocharita container inventory,  they can update the container database easily via web or via mobile application. In the following weeks, using a mobile app, the employees updated the GPS location for each container while collecting waste, and added new containers right after installation while still in the field.

Results

The digital interactive map became an ultimate source of information for drivers, operators and also citizens. Sensoneo tools allow the operator to plan the collection route according to vehicle capacity and container locations. Regularly updated container GPS locations save drivers time and make the waste collection more efficient. Digital overview of all stands and the depot enabled Ekocharita to make the waste collection more efficient and well-planned from the cost point of view.

Maintenance, replacement, change in the capacity or change of the location immediately mirror in the database via mobile app. 

Daily request from citizens and city officials on container locations can be answered while on the go thanks to digital interactive map available both on desktop or via mobile app.