WASTE NOT: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
- Didem Ozdemir
- May 30
- 3 min read
by Didem Ozdemir, May 30th. 2025
Rapid urbanization, rising populations, and expanding economies have resulted in a huge increase in worldwide waste output. Without significant changes in trash generation trends, the total amount of waste produced worldwide is expected to exceed 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050. This expanding waste problem contributes to pollution, waste management challenges, and recycling inefficiencies, putting a significant strain on municipalities.(3)
Effective waste management can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making it an important step in combating climate change.(4)
Waste management tactics have progressed from simple dumping procedures to “reduce, reuse, and recycle” approaches and integrated systems. More recently, the emphasis has switched to resource management, with the circular economy concept gaining popularity by treating waste as a useful resource.(2)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has improved efficiency and accessibility in healthcare, work environments, and disability support, while also increasing workplace safety. While AI is still being debated due to worries about privacy, job displacement, and the potential for abuse, its benefits in a variety of industries are apparent. (9)
AI can help with high-pressure decision-making with tools such as virtual assistants, virtual reality, process discovery, task mining, and advanced data analytics. Additionally, AI enhances quality of life, particularly for people with disabilities.(5)
If not adequately developed, these systems can produce unjust results. Furthermore, as AI increasingly influences personal decisions—from shopping habits to political beliefs—it is critical to be conscious of its impact in order to avoid being overly reliant on automated recommendations.(7)
AI is making a significant impact on waste management, assisting cities in effectively addressing the worldwide challenge. Municipalities can save money, increase recycling rates, and protect the environment by incorporating AI-driven solutions into waste collection, sorting, and recycling procedures. These AI-powered systems are improving trash management efficiency, sustainability, and responsiveness to urban needs.(1)
Waste management strategies include reducing, recycling, composting, reusing resources, using renewable energy, and deploying green technologies.(3)
Waste-sorting robots, for example, improve recycling efficiency by classifying items more accurately. AI can provide three key prospects for a circular economy:
1. designing circular products, components, and materials;
2. operating circular business models; and
3. optimizing infrastructure for circular material flows.(2)
The textile and apparel sector, despite its economic and cultural importance, suffers significant waste management issues. Fast fashion, poor manufacturing processes, and inadequate recycling systems result in massive amounts of textile waste ending up in landfills or incineration. This linear “take-make-dispose” cycle is unsustainable; it depletes natural resources, pollutes ecosystems, and contributes to climate change.
AI provides a powerful answer to waste management across industries, including textiles, by facilitating the shift to sustainability.
From optimizing material utilization in the design phase to enhancing recycling processes, AI improves waste sorting, demand forecasting, and circular economy activities.(8)
By leveraging AI, businesses achieve greater sustainability and resource efficiency.
Sources
(1) Editorial Journalist @Viva Technology (2024) How AI Is Improving Waste Management.
(2) Ellen Mac Arthur Foundation (2019) AI In Waste - AI and The Circular Economy
(3) Fang, B., Yu, J., Chen, Z. et al. Artificial intelligence for waste management in smart cities: a review. Environ Chem Lett 21, 1959–1989 (2023).
(4) Linde, N., Balian, A., Shabatura, T., Gryshova, I., Yakovenko, A., and Hnatieva, T. (2024). Artificial Intelligence in Waste Management in the Context of Implementing Circular Economy. Grassroots. Journal of Natural Resources, 7(3): s149-s172
(5) Purdy, M., Williams, A. M. (2023) How AI Can Help Leaders Make Better Decisions Under Pressure. Harward Business Review
(7) Rho, E. (2023) AI—The good, the bad, and the scary. Virginia Tech Engineer
(8) Sustainability Directory (2023) How Can Ai Reduce Textile Waste?
(9) The Editors of ProCon Britannica (2025) Artificial Intelligence (AI): Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society?
ers, which not only reflects their uniqueness but also the newest trends.
The original “Waste Not” is a Terreform Project by the late
Michael Sorkin (architect, urbanist, critic, and educator).Didem Ozdemir is the project’s chief investigator.
@dekosg
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