In an Australian-first, the City of Canterbury Bankstown is in the final stages of a trial of state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help identify residents who put the wrong things into their yellow recycling bins.
Mayor Khal Asfour says seeing people put inappropriate waste in their yellow bins, such as paint, batteries and engines, clearly shows there is a need for re-education which is the aim of their ‘Recycle Right Program’.
However he said the program was not about punishing anyone.
“In fact we’re not even fining them – nor does it have anything to do with spying on people,” he said.
“It’s a huge cost for recycling facilities to sort through recycling material, and if that material is contaminated, our residents bear an added unnecessary cost.
“This can all be prevented if people simply do the right thing, and our Recycling Right Program is a leading and innovative way to help guarantee that with better targeted messaging.”
The AI technology works by identifying contaminated material and sending alerts to council officers and allows more efficient and accurate sampling, with better target education messaging.
The council collects about 8,000 yellow bins a day, resulting in more than 22,000 tonnes of recycling material each year and under the program, residents who do the right thing will receive a smiley bin tag and go into a monthly prize draw.
Those recycling incorrectly will get tailored feedback through letters and advice from council staff.
“If people are ignoring our council officers then we will act, and that could mean they lose a bin until they complete a recycling education program,” Mayor Asfour said.
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Best recyclers
can win prizes
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