The challenge

Kerbside dumping is an ongoing problem faced by local council waste management teams. The clean-up of dumbing can cost councils up to $750,000 annually, while also causing damage to infrastructure and environmental restoration.

The local council was frequently impacted by dumped rubbish which resulted in:

  • Regularly scheduled waste management trucks being unable to collect the rubbish piles and mattresses
  • Manual collection dispatch services were responsive rather than route and load optimised
  • A reliance on rangers and citizens to report the rubbish piles and mattress which could take weeks

The solution

Blackbook AI built an annotated dataset using historical data from smart-enabled trucks and in-cabin triggers.​

​Using GPS and GNSS-linked camera footage from garbage trucks, the model uses computer vision to triangulate the location of detected rubbish piles and mattresses. ​ Through an API, this data returns street addresses to the council for locations requiring kerbside pick-up.​

The outcomes

The local council was able to unlock the value of their raw camera data to drive decision making.

Outcomes included:

  • Significant cost savings through route and load optimisation of dispatch service
  • Reduced response time to pick-up
  • Targeted campaigns and response monitoring
  • Improved coverage with garbage truck schedule and reduce reliance on rangers and citizens

The challenge

Kerbside dumping is an ongoing problem faced by local council waste management teams. The clean-up of dumbing can cost councils up to $750,000 annually, while also causing damage to infrastructure and environmental restoration.

The local council was frequently impacted by dumped rubbish which resulted in:

  • Regularly scheduled waste management trucks being unable to collect the rubbish piles and mattresses
  • Manual collection dispatch services were responsive rather than route and load optimised
  • A reliance on rangers and citizens to report the rubbish piles and mattress which could take weeks

The solution

Blackbook AI built an annotated dataset using historical data from smart-enabled trucks and in-cabin triggers.​

​Using GPS and GNSS-linked camera footage from garbage trucks, the model uses computer vision to triangulate the location of detected rubbish piles and mattresses. ​ Through an API, this data returns street addresses to the council for locations requiring kerbside pick-up.​

The outcomes

The local council was able to unlock the value of their raw camera data to drive decision making.

Outcomes included:

  • Significant cost savings through route and load optimisation of dispatch service
  • Reduced response time to pick-up
  • Targeted campaigns and response monitoring
  • Improved coverage with garbage truck schedule and reduce reliance on rangers and citizens