Russia Introduces AI Control Over Waste Collection
An AI-powered digital monitoring system tracks waste removal in real time, improving service quality and recycling efficiency.
Starting this month, all garbage trucks in Russia’s Volgograd Region have begun using a mobile app to document the waste collection process. Drivers are required to take and upload photos of containers before and after emptying, which are then processed by artificial intelligence.
The new mechanism is integrated into the Federal State Information System for Solid Waste Accounting and is already functioning at all container sites across the region. Truck drivers and service crews have undergone the necessary training to operate the system.
Digitalization of the waste management sector aims to solve several key challenges: responding instantly to citizen complaints, ensuring adherence to collection schedules, and rating regional operators based on performance.
The AI also tracks the volume of solid waste sent to sorting facilities, helping optimize resource management and increase recycling rates.
This approach improves service quality for residents and generates the data needed to build a modern, efficient waste management ecosystem—one where recycling takes priority.
