Automation of Construction and Demolition Waste Handling

The construction industry generates a substantial volume of solid waste, often destinated for landfills, causing significant environmental pollution and economic challenges. Waste recycling is decisive in managing waste yet challenging due to labor-intensive sorting processes and the diverse forms of waste. We propose a solution: a computer vision-based approach to recognize the composition of construction and demolition waste in cluttered settings. This can be used in automated waste sorting using robotic arms for an efficient and safer approach to waste handling. Our study emphasized the applicability of computer vision-based models in recognizing and sorting solid waste across various industrial domains, thereby contributing to resource recovery and encouraging environmental management efforts.