Authors: Yaminideavi A, Elakkiya N S
Abstract: The rapid expansion of urban populations has significantly intensified waste generation, straining the efficiency of traditional collection methods that rely on static, fixed schedules. Such conventional systems often result in overflowing bins, inefficient collection routes, and escalated operational costs. This paper proposes a comprehensive Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) infrastructure designed to modernize Smart City waste management. Unlike existing single-task architectures, the proposed framework integrates a multi-tiered hierarchy of LoRaWAN device classes to manage services of varying complexity. At the foundational level, smart bins utilize ultrasonic sensors and low-power microcontrollers to monitor fill levels and environmental conditions. Higher-level smart drop-off containers facilitate user interaction and support asynchronous downlink queries for real-time data exchange. Data is transmitted via LoRa gateways to a centralized cloud-based dashboard, enabling municipal authorities to monitor bin status and dynamically optimize collection routes. Experimental results suggest that this scalable, energy-efficient IoT paradigm not only prevents bin overflow through automated threshold alerts but also reduces fuel consumption and environmental impact. The integration of diverse LoRaWAN node classes provides a robust, cost-effective solution for real-time urban process control within the Smart City ecosystem.
