A comprehensive approach to domestic waste management

Eunice Akyereko Adjei; Emmanuel Asuming Frimpong

doi:10.4314/just.v39i1,2.1235

Eunice Akyereko Adjei Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Emmanuel Asuming Frimpong Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v39i1,2.1235

Keywords: Microcontroller, smart bin, waste disposal, waste collection

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive method to manage domestic waste and provides a detailed design of an alert sub-system, which is one of the blocks of the proposed waste management system. The waste management system entails various blocks on activities, from preparatory to implementation. The alert sub-system uses an ultrasonic sensor to monitor the level of waste in a bin and notifies a waste collection company when the bin is full and requires emptying, via short messaging service (SMS). It also allows the user to query the state of the bin at any time. The alert sub-system is simple to implement, inexpensive, uses less power, and will enable effec-tive and efficient waste collection. The implementation of the proposed waste management sys-tem should improve the collection and disposal of domestic waste.

Author Biographies

Eunice Akyereko Adjei, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Eunice Akyereko Adjei (Ing. PhD) is a Lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and currently the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for World Bank Centre of Excellence Project at KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP). Her interest in women in STEM has led her into several activities in mentoring and as a Resource Personnel in several fora at the university community level and national level. These activities have led to an increase in female enrolment and retention of females at both the undergraduate as well as postgraduate level in STEM. Finally, her recent activity is mentoring female STEM students in various tertiary institutions to gain practical skills relevant for the job market in the power sector through MiDA internship program. She is an
active member of the Women in STEM group at KNUST. Her research interest includes the following: Bioenergy, Energy Policy, Energy Utilization, Gender Equality, and Performance Assessment.

Emmanuel Asuming Frimpong, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Emmanuel A. Frimpong is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, KNUST, Kumasi. He holds a BSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering from KNUST, MSc Electrical Power Systems from the University of Bath, UK and PhD in Electrical Engineering from KNUST. His research interests include artificial intelligence techniques and their application to power systems, renewable energy systems, energy efficiency and demand side management.