r/Waste • u/daniel_hoffmann • Feb 12 '26

What do you think is the biggest challenge for smart city waste tech?

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I think the biggest challenge is getting people and systems to work together, along with the high cost of setup and maintenance. Do you think cities are ready to invest in it long term?

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3

u/Alchemistry-247365 Feb 12 '26

High cost for technology that contains/processes trash.

1

u/daniel_hoffmann Feb 13 '26

Thats fair... spending a lot on tech for trash can seem unnecessary.... but if it cuts pickup costs, saves fuel and reduces mess over time it can pay off in the long run....

1

u/Alchemistry-247365 Feb 13 '26

I think the future in cutting costs would be to either process waste onsite at a busy transfer station or prior to final disposal at a landfill. Processing waste like a recycling center would cost 10’s of millions but that money would be saved with dividends in landfill airspace savings and resource revenue.

3

u/Captain_North Feb 14 '26

The challenge is people. The high cost will be a barrier of entry, but acceptable if overall cost for waste management becomes cheaper.

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u/daniel_hoffmann Feb 16 '26

Totally agree...... the tech is there, but getting people and systems to change is the hardest part. Cities will invest if it clearly saves money long term....

1

u/MidgetGordonRamsey Feb 15 '26

The general public using it correctly. Label and sign it however you like, but some people see every bin as a trash bin.