Seven Portuguese municipalities have implemented intelligent access control systems in their waste collection infrastructures. The project, which covers approximately 500 smart locks installed on semi-underground and surface containers, serves about 20,000 residents, was announced in a press release.
According to the same source, the main objective is to prevent the so-called “waste tourism,” a practice that consists of dumping waste outside the designated collection areas. This phenomenon reduces the available capacity for local residents and increases the pressure on municipal collection services.
The locks allow restricting access to authorized users and recording the number of openings of each container. This data helps municipalities to better understand the usage patterns of their infrastructures and can contribute to more efficient planning of waste collection.
In the case of bio-waste, controlled access also aims to reduce the presence of improper materials, promoting a more appropriate separation and a higher quality of the collected waste.
The project was developed through collaboration between the Portuguese technology company Enermeter and Sensoneo, which specializes in smart solutions for waste management.
Although there are not yet data confirming a reduction in undifferentiated urban waste, the information collected will allow assessing the long-term impact of these systems and analyzing their possible application in pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) models.
The initiative demonstrates how controlled access technologies can support municipalities in managing urban waste, contributing to a more appropriate use of the infrastructures and to adapting services to the needs of local communities.
