How can we digitize, forecast or automate monitoring and pick-up of waste and litter in public spaces in a cost effective way?

Submitted by: Stad Gent

Challenge: In the Public Realm (parks, bike paths, sidewalks, waterways) city services are constantly at work to keep the urban environment litter free & clean, in order to provide the users of these public spaces with a pleasant & seamless experience.
This work consists of both planned waste management (emptying of waste bins, containers, regular clean-ups) and waste management triggered by unwanted behaviour ( regular littering, litter left after big events or during seasonal peaks in parks, ). Follow-up & planning for the second kind is mostly reactive, creates work pressure, drains motivation and is expensive.

Next steps: In the broadest possible sense: which product, service, app, organisation, can help digitize, forecast or automate both the planned waste management activities, and the unplanned waste management activities of city services?
Examples: how can city services monitor when a particular waste bin is almost full? How can litter behaviour be reduced? How can Litter in public places be identified or counted without onsite presence? How can waste management activities be planned ahead of time based on expected activity peaks due to known events or weather changes? .