Artificial intelligence-powered cameras will help educate citizens in Tacoma, Wash., on recycling practices and reduce contamination, the city recently announced.
Tacoma’s Environmental Services Department’s Solid Waste Management Division is partnering with Prairie Robotics, a company specializing in smart cameras for recycling programs, to educate residents “about what can and cannot be recycled in Tacoma’s curbside program.”
Smart camera technology set to roll out across Tacoma over the next year will detect contamination in residential recycling as it is collected. When contamination is detected in recycling, residents will receive a postcard detailing which items can and cannot be recycled.
While the pilot is rolling out in phases, residents in certain areas can expect to start receiving postcards as early as this month, officials said.
“Contamination impacts how we can deliver services and the cost of those services for all residents,” said Lewis Griffith, manager of the city’s Solid Waste Management Division. “Educating residents on what is accepted in our curbside program, and reducing contamination, can have positive impacts on the program for all residents of Tacoma.”
The partnership is funded through a $1.8 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program.
“We are thrilled to partner with the City of Tacoma on this project and believe that our platform can help to reduce contamination in recycling across Tacoma,” said Sam Dietrich, CEO of Prairie Robotics. “We look forward to continuing to work with the City as this pilot evolves to ensure that our services meet the need of Tacoma residents.”
The educational project will last through the entirety of the grant and will likely be renewed in June 2027, Tacoma city officials said.