How big data contributes to zero waste

Scientists predicted climate change in the 19th century. Yet, we have been in denial as we consume more and generate more waste endangering life on our planet. Degradable and non-degradable waste in oceans and landfills harms our health, marine ecosystems, wildlife, and the environment.

The circular economy undoes the harm through sustainable resource consumption for environmental, social and economic benefits. Circularity, as opposed to the linear economy, envisages building products to last for several lifetimes. So, products, from smartphones and home appliances to cars, re-enter the economy through remanufacturing, refurbishment, recycling, recovery, repair, and reuse.

?Efficient waste management is a foundational pillar of the circular economy. Several governments have introduced producer responsibility laws on plastic packaging. Some have banned or restricted single-use plastic. The state of California has passed legislation for single-use packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2032. Such zero-waste, zero-landfill and zero-incineration policies not only address the issue at source, but also treat waste as a valuable resource. However, this approach demands strengthening of the waste management value chain.

?Examining the bin

Waste management enterprises require enhanced visibility into the source, type, volume, and composition of waste to manage operations. They need to capture data across the ecosystem to enforce a hierarchy and circulate waste in the closed loop processes of recycle, repair and reuse. Data sharing helps minimize waste generation and improve operations across waste streams.

?Reliable data from industrial, commercial and retail sectors, property management firms, and municipalities serves as input for collection and sorting facilities as well as recycling plants. This data is priceless since it guides customers and partners to return materials to the economy after reprocessing and repurposing. Every year, approximately 400 million tons of plastic waste is generated globally, while 75 million metric tons of electronic waste will be trashed by 2030, according to the United Nations.

Food waste is the largest component of landfill material in a majority of countries. Notably, new categories of discarded products are entering landfills. For instance, decommissioned wind turbine blades. Disposed products made of fiberglass and other non-degradable materials and others that cannot be disassembled for recycling continue to be an environmental threat. Such products need to be redesigned for circularity. On the other hand, biodegradable substances are diamonds in the rough. Valuable materials retrieved from trash can replenish the dwindling supply of natural resources.??

?Garbage in, but not garbage out

Data solutions uncover viable options for diverting waste piles from landfills, incinerators and oceans. For instance, ~30% of materials in new Volvo trucks are recycled waste. Adidas has partnered with Parley for the Oceans to replace virgin polyester in shoes and sportswear with recycled plastic bottles. The Re-Wind project is collaborating with the Cork Institute of Technology for repurposing wind turbine blades into girders for bridges. Several oil and gas companies are processing used vegetable oils, waste fats and grease into bio-fuel for cars, trucks and aircraft.

?Cloud-hosted digital platforms capture data from diverse sources to create a unified catalog of distributed waste streams. Analytical engines generate actionable intelligence from these data assets and build use cases across the sustainability charter of enterprises. The integrated view of waste products / materials and its use for value chain partners improves efficiency of collection and sorting operations, while enhancing the recycling infrastructure.

?Waste management enterprises can transform into environmental solutions providers by creating an ecosystem for circular data and materials flow. Visibility into waste production and consumption patterns enables primary classification of products at sorting centers: return to the original manufacturer for repair or upgrade of components, send to partners based on the type and quality of recyclable and extractable resources, and safe disposal of hazardous chemicals. Such product-specific insights also rationalize costs through logistics optimization and robotic automation. Significantly, digital solutions not only provide a framework for waste management and monitoring of reuse and recycling programs, but also support carbon credit management and sustainability reporting. ?

?Smart data management paves the way for the circular economy by closing the loop of waste and natural resources. Best practices in waste management protect the environment while conserving non-renewable resources.