Are You Recycling Wrong?
Use the power of AI and PartyRock to learn what to recycle where!
Published Mar 5, 2024
It's a common misconception that almost all types of plastic are recyclable.
Actually if you try to recycle something that is in fact not recyclable, you’re only contaminating items that could be turned into something new.
Well-intentioned folks who do something as simple as put plastic bags in their recycling bins can clog up recycling center machinery and make the recycling process less effective and more costly. This type of recycling is known as “wish-cycling.”
Well-intentioned folks who do something as simple as put plastic bags in their recycling bins can clog up recycling center machinery and make the recycling process less effective and more costly. This type of recycling is known as “wish-cycling.”
A new AI powered app called "Hey, Is This Recyclable?" is here to help you do the right thing when it comes to recycling.
This app is built with a new AWS technology known as PartyRock. Let's take a peek at how it is used:
It's quite simple, there is a field to type in the item you want to recycle, in this case Cereal Box, a field for your location, and whammo! "Hey, Is This Recyclable?" starts using the power of Generative AI to determine the county of the city listed and if that particular item can be recycled. As an added fun bonus an AI generated image of the item and a few good general recycling tips are included with the results.
It's quite simple, there is a field to type in the item you want to recycle, in this case Cereal Box, a field for your location, and whammo! "Hey, Is This Recyclable?" starts using the power of Generative AI to determine the county of the city listed and if that particular item can be recycled. As an added fun bonus an AI generated image of the item and a few good general recycling tips are included with the results.
Community Impact: I'm hoping this app can help enlighten people to mistakes they may be making in their recycling habits and thereby improve the whole recycling process. Less contamination of recyclables hopefully means more actual recycling. I could see this type of app being used in classrooms to interest kids in the subject and by waste management companies in their e-newsletters or websites. Please check it out yourself: Hey, Is This Recyclable?
