NB-IoT Based Waste Monitoring and Collection Planning System

Increasing Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation has become a major challenge in Namibia particularly in the capital city of Windhoek. Lack of finances and sufficient data in waste management system is a limiting factor to improving the efficiency of MSW management system in Windhoek city. IoT technology provides cost saving solutions that enables municipal authorities and companies to implement solution using less finances. Moreover, IoT enable the municipal and responsible authorities to capture relevant data that provides more insight into the waste management system i.e. in planning an efficient waste collection process. In this paper, the author proposes a waste monitoring and collection planning system based on narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT). NB-IoT communication technology provides competitive advantage in flexibility and coverage while ensuring scalability and reliable service. The proposed solution will design and implement a smart bin prototype and a web-based waste monitoring application, capable of performing real time monitoring of waste fill level and detecting foul smell from the garbage bin. Moreover, the system provides effective decision-making support in waste collection planning. This will allow the municipal City of Windhoek to collect waste materials on time in order to avoid garbage bins from overflowing and keep the city clean.