Fill-level monitoring for waste management company in UAE

Smart waste management in UAE

Project and customer description

The customer is a global provider of integrated waste management services with more than 30 years of experience. Their extensive service portfolio addresses a wide range of environmental needs, and they have grown into one of the largest providers of waste services across the EMEA region.

They manage recycling centres distributed throughout the city, collecting 17 different commodities in dedicated bins. The centres are recognized for their excellence in both design and quality.

Challenge

The company services an area of over 4,000 km² and required a smart waste solution to optimize operations. In the summer of 2017, they began looking for technology to:

1. Monitor bin fill levels in real time
2. Provide data to organize collection routes more efficiently
3. Evaluate operational efficiency

Solution

In February 2018, 169 smart sensors were installed in recycling centres, monitoring 12 out of the 17 collected commodities.

To ensure efficient data transmission, a Mesh topology was implemented:

• 1 Master sensor (Double sensor) per centre
• 12 Slave sensors (Single sensors) per centre, each monitoring one bin

The Single sensors measure up to 170 cm, making them suitable for smaller bins (150 cm depth). Slaves communicate fill-level data via Bluetooth or RF to the Master, which transmits the complete data set via GSM/GPRS to the cloud.

Smart sensors were configured to measure six times per day, aligned with the bins’ fill cycle. Bin capacities range from 0.24 m³ to 1.10 m³, with most bins filling more than once per week.

Impact

The deployment of the Sensoneo solution has enabled the company to maintain continuous control over recycling centre operations. As a result, the centres remain clean and well-maintained at all times. Citizens benefit from a higher quality of service, as collections are planned based on accurate predictions of bin fill levels. This approach prevents overflowing bins, eliminates the collection of half-empty containers, and ensures that waste management operations are both efficient and sustainable.

Key achievements:

• Prevention of bin overflow incidents
• Elimination of unnecessary half-empty bin collections
• Optimized collection planning based on predictive data
• Cost savings through reduced data transmission with Mesh topology
• Reliable GSM/GPRS connectivity for real-time monitoring