Neuhausen am Rheinfall relies on smart waste
The municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall relies on IoT sensors and the ax-track IoT platform to plan the emptying of underground containers even better and carry it out efficiently. In an exclusive interview with Mr. Thomas Müller, a leading expert in the field of waste management, you can find out how Neuhausen am Rheinfall has developed innovative approaches to overcoming the challenges of waste management.
The municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall - the friendly community
The efficient management and sustainable disposal of waste is of crucial importance in our modern society. Cities and municipalities in particular are faced with the challenge of finding innovative ways to improve waste management and reduce the environmental impact at the same time. One remarkable solution that is attracting more and more attention in this context is the use of underground containers in combination with intelligent fill level measurement.
In this interview, we will focus on the optimisation of waste management and how the municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall has found a pioneering solution in collaboration with ax-track.
With ax-track's fill level measurements, the fill levels in the underground container can be intelligently monitored and managed, resulting in optimised emptying and more efficient use of resources.
Learn more about how innovative technologies are changing the way we treat waste and how these solutions can serve as a model for other communities.
Interview between Mr. Müller and adnexo
With a population of just over 11,000, the municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall is characterised as an industrial community. In recent years, Neuhausen am Rheinfall has transformed itself from a production centre to a service location. Well-known companies have settled in the ‘Rhypark’ and ‘Rundbuck’ industrial estates in the municipality and are closely linked to the Zurich economic region.
Mr. Müller, please explain to us what an underfloor container is:
Underground containers are rubbish containers built into the ground. They are being used more and more frequently in Neuhausen and are replacing the familiar silver rubbish containers.
An underfloor system holds 5,000 litres, the old containers only 800 litres. In addition to the space advantage, the underfloor systems are easier to empty and cause less odour pollution.
What was the initial reason why you considered level measurement for these underground containers?
It is particularly important to know the current fill level of an underground container in the event of discontinuous waste volumes or ‘emptying on demand’, as this allows the emptying logistics to be controlled in line with demand.
Especially with regard to disposal costs, level measurement in underfloor systems is a key tool for significantly optimising and efficiently organising container emptying.
Which solution was developed with adnexo?
The aim was to transmit the measured fill level data to the web application at previously defined intervals via the data transmission unit.
This is carried out using LoRaWAN. A special web application is used to display the transmitted data in edited form, in list form using a display of the fill level as a percentage or with coloured symbols in a digital city map. In accordance with the specified threshold values, the waste disposal service employees are informed about the respective fill level of the underground container.
This visualisation can be used to avoid imminent overfilling of the underground containers and to identify those underground containers that need to be emptied promptly in the case of “emptying on demand”.
How and where are the sensors attached?
The sensors are screwed onto a plate linkage, which is then suspended inside the throw-in column of the underground container. This means that the linkage with the sensor can be removed quickly if the battery needs to be replaced.
The sensors have been in use for a few months now, where do you notice the greatest added value?
The greatest added value is knowing the fill level in the underground containers at all times. This prevents overfilling and the bags standing around. Furthermore, emptying can be controlled and half-empty containers are a thing of the past.
Has everyday life changed for your team?
Yes! By avoiding half-empty containers, transport journeys and working time are saved, the environment is protected and, ultimately, costs are also saved. This frees up time for other maintenance services.
Will you be using more IoT sensors in the future? If so, in which area?
In future, the underground containers will also be fitted with fill level sensors. Further requirements are currently being examined for waste sharks (litter bins in public areas) and the vehicle fleet has been and will continue to be equipped with a fleet management system.
Thank you Mr. Müller for your time and we are pleased about the good cooperation.
Thanks to ax-track, we can avoid half-empty containers. This saves transport journeys and working time, protects the environment and ultimately saves costs. This frees up time for other maintenance services.
Thomas MüllerThe Municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall
