The ever-increasing volume of waste generated is a growing global concern with negative repercussions on the environment, climate, and human health. Waste management systems exist, but are sadly not uniform in their effectiveness. Developing nations have not succeeded in integrating waste management practices to the fullest possible extent. Explosive population growth along with rapid urbanization and development further leads to massive waste generation. Waste management authorities are looking for innovation, and blockchain technology shows promise.
Can Blockchain Reinvent the Wheel in Conventional Waste Management Systems?
A blockchain-powered waste management program offers several innovations that ensure traceability and transparency in WM regulation. The solution impacts all the stakeholders- from customers, service officers, inspectors, contractors, police, and administrators.
In general, a waste management program includes the following steps:
- Waste Segregation
- Transportation
- Recycling
- Waste Disposal
- Analysis of Waste Data
The division of tasks among multiple personnel is essential for handling waste in large volumes. Tracking and ensuring compliance of all intermediate steps in a waste management cycle is a herculean task and yet absolutely necessary. A comprehensive platform for tracing all the associated activities is hence essential for both government and corporate waste management bodies. Blockchain shows promise as a decentralized platform assisting in tracking the movement of waste from generation to disposal, contributing to a greener and better environment.
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Waste Management Challenges Solved by Blockchain
a) Data Manipulation or Fraud
Contractors assigned with waste disposal submit a waste plan report to the concerned government office for receiving payments. The remuneration amount is proportional to the waste load(weight). It is not difficult to manipulate the reports, and in recent times, have led to a subsequent surge in payment frauds.
Data stored in the blockchain are time-stamped and immutable. At the time of payment, both parties can use the blockchain WMS application for tracking previous activities and validating the waste plan submitted. Blockchain integration ensures traceability.
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b) Inaccurate Data or Mismanagement
Official documents, contracts, or papers containing guidelines used in waste management get lost/misplaced from time to time. There are also issues regarding inaccuracy. While corrections and retrieval are possible, the aim is to rectify the process and make up for time lost.
The implementation of blockchain technology helps in document streamlining. In addition, records stored in a decentralized ledger are accessible by every member within the blockchain network. Being permanent and tamper-proof in nature, contacts or other documents stored in a ledger are never actually lost. The decentralized nature of the platform also facilitates large storage.
Viability of Blockchain Waste Management Applications
Blockchain developers and environmentalists are utilizing crypto’s underlying technology to facilitate the task of waste managers and attract citizens towards peering into waste management, often with the promise of potential crypto rewards. A few notable examples include:
a) JellyCoin Crypto Launch in Argentina
Developed by Campo Viera resident entrepreneur Ivan Zubilewicz, the JellyCoin is pegged to the Argentine peso and can be used for paying estate taxes. JellyCoins are awarded to citizens or collectors who collect and deposit waste at designated places. “The idea sort of came from this desire to look at people’s habits, to change the way that people interact with the resources they’re using,” mentioned Zubilewicz.
b) Plastic Bank
The Plastic Bank waste management initiative uses blockchain technology for the efficient reduction of plastic waste across developing nations. Plastic is one of the major pollutants of the environment and is non-biodegradable below 0.75 μ of thickness. The distributed ledger technology is used to facilitate local people into trading plastic collected for personal use items, goods, services, or other expenses.
c) AREP
AREP is a multidisciplinary consultancy organization under the ownership of SNCF. The company tracks waste across railway stations and makes use of blockchain and BlueTooth technology to accumulate detailed information on all the waste bins. Each station bin comprises a bluetooth-enabled block that provides updates on waste quantity, category, collector, and movement.
Wrapping Up
It is vital to implement a modern WMS tracking system for a full waste management cycle, from the point of collection all the way up to their area of disposal. Blockchain can be a pivotal factor in achieving the target of sustainable sanitation. Further integration of IoT sensors(weight measurements, RFID) across a decentralized network will expedite efficiency with data generation capacity and real-time garbage truck monitoring across the entire journey.
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