Saudi Arabia embarks on smart waste journey

Digital services and solutions provider STC is working with Sensoneo to provide customers in Saudi Arabia with smart waste management technology.

Cities in Saudi Arabia will benefit from a data-driven approach to waste management to tackle challenges such as lack of efficiency.

On-demand collection

The digital approach waste drives optimisation and lowers a city’s environmental footprint by avoiding unnecessary routing and enabling dynamic/on-demand waste collection.

Sensoneo’s smart waste management solutions use smart ultrasonic sensors embedded with STC narrowband-internet of things (NB-IoT) Sims to monitor waste levels and pick up the status and real-time temperature of bins.

With GPS location and BLE technology, real-time data is instantly sent to Sensoneo software to optimise collection routes, pick-up frequencies, and vehicle loads. The solution also includes advanced analytics to make more informed strategic decisions regarding waste.

“By leveraging STC IoT capabilities, we are bringing digital transformation to life in ways that everyday people can experience,” said Saud Alsheraihi, vice president of products and solutions, STC. “The result will enable customers in the Kingdom to manage their waste efficiently, lower their environmental footprint, and improve the quality of services.”

“We recognise the expertise of STC in the field of communication, networks and the internet of things, and we are looking forward to partnering with them to drive the deployment of smart waste management in the region,” said Martin Basila, CEO, Sensoneo.

According to Sensoneo its smart waste management has been installed in more than 60 countries on five continents. It recently raised €2m investment from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund and Venture to Future Fund to further accelerate company expansion.

“The result will enable customers in the Kingdom to manage their waste efficiently, lower their environmental footprint, and improve the quality of services”

It followed a successful EIC Accelerator application in October 2020, when Sensoneo received a grant supporting the large-scale deployment of its smart waste management innovations in two European capitals, and completion of its R&D projects including “pay-as-you-sort” solution.

Projects are ongoing in Bratislava, Slovakia, where 1,753 Sensoneo’s sensors have been added to containers and 92 waste trucks are using its WatchDog service, and Prague in the Czech Republic, which is piloting tailor-made navigation for the specific requirements of waste collection vehicles and real-time monitoring of 550 containers for electronic waste.