AI System for Reviewing Waste Collection and Overflow Exceptions

The problem

When container fill levels, routes, vehicles, reports and road conditions are held in separate sources, their fields must be matched by hand before a draft overflow and route exception can be prepared.

The waste operations manager must compare every suggestion in the draft overflow and route exception with the source record; missing or conflicting evidence must not replace the final decision.

If the effect of an event, road closure or sensor fault on the fill level is not reviewed separately, an unnecessary collection run could be made or an overflowing container could be delayed; the record must not progress without a human decision.

What we set out to improve

• Time taken for the draft overflow and route exception to reach the waste operations manager with its supporting evidence
• Outcomes of records referred for human review because an event, road closure or sensor fault affected the fill level
• Number of suggestions corrected after identifying the risk of an unnecessary collection run or a delay to an overflowing container

How the system works

1. 01 Retrieve container fill level, route, vehicle, report and road condition data from authorised sources
2. 02 Verify field and document versions
3. 03 Prepare the draft overflow and route exception with its supporting evidence
4. 04 Exception check: an event, road closure or sensor fault affects the fill level
5. 05 Have the waste operations manager accept, correct or reject the suggestion
6. 06 Decision gate: route change and field intervention decisions
7. 07 Record the decision and source separately

Methods we used

• A source-identified data schema for container fill level, route, vehicle, report and road condition data
• A structure that separates deterministic rules from AI suggestions
• A screen showing the draft overflow and route exception beside its supporting evidence
• A human review queue when an event, road closure or sensor fault affects the fill level
• A record identifier that prevents duplicate processing

Where people stay involved

Data and security

Only the container fill level, route, vehicle, report and road condition fields required for the task should be processed. Role-based access should be applied, and unnecessary identity, health, financial and internal organisational data must not be sent to the model. Source retrieval, AI suggestions and the waste operations manager's decisions should be recorded separately.

Who this suits

Frequently asked questions