Faced with the shortcomings in waste classification in the community, the smart trash bin, invented by a group of students from the University of Economics (DUE) and the University of Science and Technology (DUT) under the University of Da Nang, has been highly appreciated by the market.

The DANAGreen smart trash can is placed at an English Centre in the city. Photo: CHI HIEU

The group of students came up with the idea for the trash bin after realising that the current waste classification is at the level of spreading messages and changing awareness through slogans printed on trash cans. For these students, smart trash bins are the most practical direction in order for society to quickly move from awareness to action.

“The DANAGreen trash can product aims to create a sustainable circulatory system. The first stage affects the benefits of product users. Specifically, when putting trash in the bin and logging into the management system, users will receive a QR code containing information about the amount of trash and the type of trash put in the bin, the time and the corresponding accumulated points. The server will monitor all information from multiple trash bins at the same time. The accumulated points of each person can be used to exchange vouchers with DANAGreen partners such as English learning centres and supermarkets," said Nguyen Viet Hoang, a student majoring in Business Administration and Commerce at the DUE, who is the leader of the group.

The software on the phone to update information about the trash bin was also developed by the group. Mastering the technology helps the group reduce the cost of manufacturing and maintaining trash bins.

With a selling price of VND 1.5 million/trash bin for indoor type and VND 2.2 million/trash can for outdoor type requiring additional solar panels to supply power for the sensor to operate, DANAGreen is being offered at a moderate level for businesses and households to access.

Student Hoang Le Anh Tuan, majoring in Information Technology at the DUT, said that the intelligence of the DANAGreen trash can is created from a set of three modules including a full trash warning sensor, AI technology to classify trash, and information about the amount of trash updated in real-time via an application on phones and computers.

“1.2m-high, 1m-wide DANAGreen has a capacity nearly double that of conventional trash cans. When the amount of trash is full to a certain level, the sensor will detect and send a notification to the user via phone. The process of identifying and sorting waste into separate compartments such as paper, metal, plastic, etc. does not require human intervention” Anh Tuan added.

With the abovementioned outstanding features, the DANAGreen smart trash can has just been used by an English teaching centre in Hai Chau District. Students at the centre express their interest in the automatic, easy-to-use system of this trash can. Also, they receive vouchers from the centre they are studying at based on their awareness of environmental protection. According to Anh Tuan, these students are potential customers of DANAGreen in the future.

All members of the group believe that starting a business in the technology field is both an opportunity and a challenge for their product. Therefore, DANAGreen focuses on promoting green actions and green solutions towards a green life.

“Let’s change perspective and start protecting the environment from the small action of throwing trash in the bin. With this product, we hope that the classification of domestic waste will be speeded up in the near future" said student Ho Ngoc Khanh Quynh majoring in Business Administration at DUE.

Reporting by MAI AN - Translating by M.DUNG