Recycling as a Service: A Mobile Application for Circular Economy

Abstract

This work presents an IoT mobile-based application to allow recycling as a service in developing and emerging countries. It comprises a user-friendly mobile application developed using Java through the Android Studio Integrated Development Environment, with the Database Realtime and Google Maps services. The mobile application connects waste pickers interested in collecting waste for recycling purposes with dispensers that produce the waste. Users who want to recycle their waste need to set up its latitude and longitude, select the ideal time for collection, and the amount of garbage. Thus, the application automatically posts the collecting service request on the database. Waste pickers can visualize the location of nearby posted requests through the Google Maps service and book the order at will. The booking guarantees that a unique waste picker will realize the collection since it removes the request from the list. Therefore, this model-based recycling service eliminates the need for hardware-equipped bins for trash disposal, standing as a low-cost solution.