Development of Automatic Trash Bin by Using Microcontroller

The increasing volume of municipal waste and the inefficiency of conventional waste collection systems have created significant environmental and hygiene challenges in residential areas. Existing trash bins are generally manually operated, lack systematic monitoring mechanisms, and often become unhygienic due to frequent physical contact. This study presents the development of an ESP32-based Automated Trash Bin integrated with infrared (IR) sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to improve waste management efficiency and environmental sustainability. The proposed system utilizes an ESP32 microcontroller as the main controller, where IR sensors are employed for human detection and waste level monitoring. When a user is detected near the bin, the system automatically activates a servo motor to open the lid and closes it after a predefined duration. In addition, the waste level detection mechanism provides real-time monitoring through the Blynk IoT platform, enabling users to receive notifications when the bin reaches full capacity. The prototype was designed and simulated using Tinker cad and programmed using Arduino IDE. Experimental evaluations were conducted under different environmental conditions and waste categories to assess system performance. The results demonstrated that the system achieved high human detection accuracy under indoor and low-light conditions, with average accuracies of 98% and 95%, respectively. However, performance decreased under direct sunlight and high humidity due to infrared interference. Waste level detection accuracy was highest for dry waste materials and lowest for dark-coloured waste because of differences in infrared reflectivity. The integration of the Blynk platform enabled remote accessibility and real-time notification, contributing to more efficient waste monitoring and reduced waste overflow. Overall, the proposed automated trash bin demonstrates a cost-effective, hygienic, and environmentally friendly solution for smart residential waste management systems and has strong potential for future smart city applications.

Smart waste management, ESP32, Internet of Things (IoT), infrared sensor, automated trash bin, Blynk, waste level monitoring.

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