The Regional District Central Okanagan (RDCO) is turning to AI in an effort to clean up recycling contamination in curbside blue bins.

A pilot program will use a video camera, running AI software, in the hopper of a recycling collection truck to identify contaminants in real-time.

It then puts the offending item(s) on a postcard which is mailed to the residence associated with the recycling bin.

鈥淎n excellent way for us to track progress, and to track areas that we need to pay more attention to,鈥� Travis Kendel, engineering services manager, told the RDCO board at its July 6 meeting.

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He noted the data can be linked to geographic information systems and identify contamination hot spots.

鈥淭hen our boots on the ground Waste Ambassadors can go out there, inspect those carts, provide education, talk with the residents and help get that performance increase.鈥�

The new system will allow the same number of cart checks in one month that are typically done in one year.

Kendel also told the board that residents with the will receive a ping on their mobile devices if contaminants are found in their recycling bin.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited about this AI initiative because it鈥檚 going to give real-time feedback,鈥� he added.

Recycle BC has matched the RDCO鈥檚 investment of $33,000 for the pilot which goes online this year.

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