Abstract

One of the major problems with waste generation today is the huge percentage of plastics in its composition. The automated waste segregator is a mechatronic system that solves this problem by the incorporation of high calibrated sensors and mechanical properties into its design to enable the smooth segregation of plastics and metals. It is capable of detecting and separating these components as soon as they get to its sensing unit with the aid of capacitive proximity sensors and ultrasonic sensors. The capacitive proximity sensor made with plated iron detects the type of material in range either plastics or metals based on their di-electric constant. A 12V DC geared motor made with aluminum and iron of high torque and speed characteristics is connected to the lids to enable its automatic open and close mechanism. Also, a microcontroller (PIC18F452) was used to control the entire segregation process of the system and is capable of storing and implementing the software in real-time. The sensors are controlled by the PICI8F452 microcontroller and based on the sensor readings, pulses are sent from the controller to the geared motor for the fast action of lid opening. The results of the performance evaluation indicated that the automated waste segregator has the capacity to identify and sort wastes into plastics, metals and any other waste with the aid of a capacitive sorting technique.