636results about "Sustainable waste treatment" patented technology

A method for promoting recycling from a fund established with revenue generated from the sale of environmental and/or power generation attributes by an entity producing renewable energy. The method comprises providing a point system by which a recycling consumer is credited for recycled materials collected. Further, the method provides for a reward system for redemption of points accumulated by the recycling consumer, the reward system including redeemable fund certificates drawn against the fund. The method further includes collecting recyclable materials from the recycling consumer and crediting an account in the name of the recycling consumer based on the quantity and/or quality of the recyclable material collected. Then the method provides for awarding fund certificates to the recycling consumer upon the accumulation of a sufficient point level.

The present invention invention provides methods, apparatus, and systems for determining greenhouse gas (including carbon dioxide) emissions and energy usage, costs and savings of individuals, families, homes, buildings, businesses, or the like. User inputs specific to an end user are accepted, and one or more of the user inputs are correlated with at least one of historic data and modeled characteristics pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage to obtain at least one of greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage corresponding to said one or more of said user inputs. An overall greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage can then be determined for the end user based on the greenhouse emissions and energy usage corresponding to the one or more of the user inputs. A specific impact of a particular user action on the end user's overall greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage may also be calculated.

A system and methods for managing a recycling program including the step of receiving waste materials from a user and the step of receiving recyclable materials from the user. Further, the step of measuring a quantity of waste materials received and the step of measuring a quantity of recyclable materials received. Further still, calculating a user-specific diversion rate based upon the ratio of recyclable materials as compared to the sum of recyclable materials and waste materials. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of an electronic device is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with preferably two mirrored, domed hemispheres positioned about a transparent table and cameras for imaging an electronic device placed on the table. The recycling kiosk uses visual analysis to identify electronic devices, determine the condition of the electronic device and determine if the electronic device is authentic.

A method and system for removing and transferring data from a recycled electronic device such as a mobile phone is disclosed herein. The system includes a kiosk, a network and a server with a database. Further, the system includes a client device and a new electronic device to receive the transfer data from the recycled electronic device.

A recycling kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of an electronic device is disclosed herein. The recycling kiosk includes an inspection area with preferably two mirrored, domed hemispheres positioned about a transparent table and cameras for imaging an electronic device placed on the table. The recycling kiosk also includes a processor, a display and a user interface.

There is provided a service system that allows a user to charge and repeatedly use a secondary battery and exchanges a battery pack for a charged battery pack. There is provided a battery exchange service system in which a terminal is connected to a management server. The terminal includes an information obtaining unit that obtains battery information and user information; a charging and discharging unit that charges and discharges a battery pack; and a power information generation unit that generates information on an amount of electricity based on the charging and discharging by the charging and discharging unit. The management server includes a battery information database that stores battery information distributed in the battery exchange service system; a contractor information database that stores contractor information for the battery exchange service system; a battery information verification unit that verifies the battery information by the battery information stored in the battery information database; a user information verification unit that verifies the user information by the contractor information stored in the contractor information database; and a charge calculation unit that calculates a charge based on the information on the amount of electricity.

A mini-kiosk for recycling and financial remuneration for submission of an electronic device such as a mobile phone is disclosed herein. The mini-kiosk is designed to be placed on a counter-top. The mini-kiosk includes electrical connectors and an inspection area with at least one camera in order to perform a visual analysis and an electrical analysis of the electronic device for determination of a value of the electronic device. The mini-kiosk also includes a processor and a display for user interaction.

Methods involve adding sorbent components, such as calcium oxide, alumina, and silica, as well as optional halogens as part of environmental control. Use of the sorbents leads to significant reductions in sulfur and mercury emissions that otherwise would result from burning coal. Use of the sorbents leads to production of waste coal ash that, while higher in mercury, is nevertheless usable as a commercial product because the mercury in the ash is non-leaching and because the coal ash has a higher cementitious nature by virtue of the increased content of the sorbent components in the ash. Thus, the methods involve adding powders having qualities that lead to the production of a cementitious coal ash while at the same time reducing emissions from a coal burning facility.

A hydrocarbon exploration method is disclosed for developing a model of at least one effective material property of a subsurface reservoir as a function of the composition and structure of the reservoir rock. In one embodiment, the method comprises: obtaining a 3D image (102) of a rock sample characteristic of a reservoir of interest (101); segmenting the 3D image into compositional classes (103) based on similarities in mineralogy, structure and spatial distribution; selecting a model (105) that relates an effective material property of interest to the volume fractions of each compositional class; and determining the parameters of the model (106). The model may be used to assess the commercial potential of the subsurface reservoir (107).

A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container. In some embodiments, a detection system for determining a presence and/or a quantity of waste items within a container is also provided. In some embodiments, access to discarded waste items is restricted once the waste items have been placed in a container.

A system of systems to monitor data for carbon flux, for example, at scales capable of managing regional net carbon flux and pricing carbon financial instruments is disclosed. The system of systems can monitor carbon flux in forests, soils, agricultural areas, body of waters, flue gases, and the like. The system includes a means to identify and quantify sources of carbon based on simultaneous measurement of isotopologues of carbon dioxide, for example, industrial, agricultural or natural sources, offering integration of same in time and space. Carbon standards are employed at multiple scales to ensure harmonization of data and carbon financial instruments.

A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of disposable containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations, each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container.

A system and computer program product for communicating with a recycling user during recycling activities of a recycling vehicle, including: receiving recycling user information, associated with a recycling user via a web-based user interface, having a street address, contact information, a reward point total and recycling data associated with the recycling user; associating a unique identifier with the recycling user; periodically storing and updating the recycling user information in an account identified by the unique identifier in the database; converting the street address into a recycling user geographic coordinate; periodically receiving a recycling vehicle geographic coordinate associated with the real-time location of a recycling vehicle via a wireless network; comparing the received recycling vehicle geographic coordinate with the recycling user geographic coordinate and determining whether the received recycling vehicle geographic coordinate associated with the recycling user geographic coordinate are within a predefined geographic distance of each other; retrieving the account of the recyclable user within the determined predefined geographic distance; and transmitting an electronic communication over a network to an electronic address identified by the contact information associated with the account of the recyclable user.

A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of disposable containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations, each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container.

The present invention relates to a system and method of selling goods or services, or collecting recycle refuse using mechanized mobile merchantry, comprising positioning, by self-propelling, at least one of a mechanized mobile merchantry within a geographical boundary, allowing interaction with consumers, and effectuating selling of goods or services, or collection of recycle refuse with consumers. Other exemplary embodiments can include signaling a mechanized mobile merchantry with a consumer's mobile device to direct the merchantry to self-propel to the consumer's location, and utilizing usage logs and algorithms to optimize functionality of a fleet of merchantry and reposition the merchantry, as necessary, within a geographical boundary, to increase sales and consumer convenience. The present invention also relates to a waste collection system with option to deliver new food and beverage items includes a customer service robot comprising a slave computer and one or more waste receptacles to collect waste material. The customer service robot includes at least one robotic arm having at least three degrees of motion to facilitate collection from, e.g., tables and the like. The customer service robot is also capable of interfacing with a recycling unit and a master computer to control disposal of the collected waste.

The technology disclosed offers a declarative and visualization framework that implements a state machine for multi-step progression of interaction with an entity. The declarative framework is usable over and over for a broad range of applications because it provides a simple rule-based authoring tool that can be used for specifying different elements and components of a complex state machine, including state definitions, state transition triggers, state transition conditions and state transition actions. Once defined, the state machine is automatically generated and visually implemented based on the declarative input provided by a non-technical user.

The system provides a method to automate the complex processes that occur at the end-of-life of IT hardware assets, and at the same time, increase the resale value of these assets. Using the system, an IT manager is able to identify a scalable number of systems for Secure Disk Wiping, Diagnostic Testing, Hardware Audit, License Recovery and Backup. These tasks are schedule driven in one embodiment, performed on multiple systems simultaneously, and minimizing the usage of network bandwidth. (In one embodiment, the system is agentless). At the same time, an IT manager can increase resale value by; restoring operating systems to hard drives once wiped, diagnostically testing systems, and capturing detailed hardware information all of which can be supplied to potential buyers or new users of repurposed/refurbished components.

Compositions, methods and business applications of using new and recycled cardboard infused with a plurality of saprophytic (including endophytic) and mycorrhizal fungi matched with seeds of plants (including trees, vegetables, herbs and grasses) whereby the cardboard can be sprouted by end-users to start ecosystems. Such containers may have carbon-credit value for companies and consumers when planted and grown as a carbon sink or carbon offset for the photosynthetic and mycelial sequestration of carbon dioxide. The relative weight of the Life Box's added seeds and spores does not significantly affect the total weight of the infused cardboard, thus not increasing transportation costs.

Method for recycling products, comprising the following steps:

• • recording through a mobile device (5) that a product (3) to be recycled has been brought to a collection point (2), wherein the mobile device (5) comprises an identification module (50) for identifying said mobile device (5) and/or a user (2),
  • crediting a deposit caused by the recycling of said product (3) or debiting a recycling fee caused by the recycling of said product (3) on an account linked with said identification module (50). Data carrier with a program for executing this method. Method for recycling products, comprising the following steps:
  • recording through a collection point (2) that a product (3) to be recycled has been brought to the collection point (2), wherein a code with which the product is identified is recorded by the collection point (2),
  • sending a first signal to a mobile device (5) that said product (3) is to be recycled.

With the method and the data carrier of the invention, a reward or debiting linked with the recycling of the product (3) is automatically determined and credited or billed on an account linked with the identification module (50).

A system and method for tracking medical or toxic waste including a first container adapted to hold untreated medical waste, the container having a wireless tracking device attached thereto. The system also includes a tracking station capable of monitoring the movement of the medical waste by tracking the wireless tracking device.

A method and system provide support for instructing a user as to an appropriate solid waste receptacle to discard a solid waste item into based on identification of the solid waste item. An image of the solid waste item is captured prior to being discarded in a solid waste receptacle. The solid waste item is classified into a solid waste item type based on the captured image of the solid waste item. The solid waste item type is associated with a recommended disposition method to dispose of the solid waste item. The user is instructed to discard the solid waste item into the appropriate solid waste receptacle based on the recommended disposition method of the solid waste item.

The invention provides a garbage classification and recovery method, a garbage classification device and a garbage classification and recovery system. The garbage classification and recovery method comprises the following steps that a first detection image of the garbage to be classified is acquired; a depth learning neural network is used for processing the first detection image to judge whetherthe garbage to be classified is matched with the recyclable garbage, and if yes, a first control signal is sent to control the garbage to be classified to be sent to a recovery area; and if not, a second control signal is sent to control the garbage to be classified to be sent to a non-recovery area. According to the garbage classification and recovery method, a deep learning neural network methodis adopted to perform real-time detection and recognition on the garbage to be classified, so that the recognition accuracy of the garbage to be classified is improved, the classification and recovery work of workers in a garbage recovery center is reduced, the garbage classification recovery efficiency is improved, and the garbage classification recovery cost is reduced.

A club or community of mineral producers or other interested parties is put together for the purpose of responsibility account for CO2 and/or other pollutants in produced minerals. The community utilizes a community system to track the amount of CO2 that is associated with produced minerals. The community member sponsoring the mineral contributes to the community fund an amount representative of the value of the estimated CO2 as determined by the community system. The community then utilizes the received funds to invest in carbon offset activities which in turn are returned as benefits to the community members so that either those members can sell carbon offset accounted minerals or the community can do so on the community members' behalf.

Method and apparatus are provided for managing consumer recycling activities. In one embodiment, a method is provided for performing a redemption transaction involving a return of recyclable containers by a consumer to a return center and a transfer of value to the consumer in exchange for the recyclable containers. In accordance with this method, a receptacle is provided to a consumer at a first time. The receptacle is usable to drop off recyclable containers at the return center, and is identifiable via an identifier. At a subsequent time, the receptacle, with recyclable containers, is received at the return center. The containers are processed to determine a value to be provided to the consumer. The value is then automatically transferred to an account designated by the consumer.

The present invention is directed to a tag and labeling system that is used in connection with the disposal of pharmaceutical waste materials that are created in a health care treatment facility. The tag uses a RFID device with an alterable parameter in order to selectively actuate a disposal system to receive a particular type of waste material

The invention discloses a cloud recognition system and a cloud recognition method for intelligent classification and recycling of domestic garbage. The cloud recognition system comprises a garbage classification receiving device, an intelligent fine-classification device, a compression processing device, a cloud recognition device and a user feedback device. The garbage classification receiving device comprises a plurality of garbage input openings for receiving a plurality of different kinds of domestic garbage. The intelligent subdivision device comprises an infrared detecting module, a camera and an electronic balance. The kind, weight and external dimension of the domestic garbage are transmitted to the cloud identification device. The compression processing device performs compression on the domestic garbage. The cloud identification device transmits feedback information to the user feedback device. The cloud recognition system and the cloud recognition method are advantageous in that a resident can perform garbage classification in a higher visual and easier manner; coarse classification is performed through inputting different kinds of garbage; fine classification is performed on the coarse-classified garbage by means of cloud recognition technology, and furthermore recycled data are feedback to the resident in real time.

The present invention provides a system and method for electronically automating the solid waste hauling industry's existing paper system for tracking driver services. In at least one embodiment, the system directs the driver through his daily activities, allowing changes and corrections to customer service data along a route. This information is uploaded and converted to payroll data, customer service information, and invoicing for customers, among other aspects, periodically throughout the route or upon return to a home base after the route. The information that is collected on site and in real time into a unit available to the driver during the route can require specific and traceable entries that improve the accuracy and completeness of the data useful to the waste management system. The automation provides the information collected by a driver independently of additional clerks that heretofore have been used to input this information into a waste management system.

A refuse container provides an indication of the weight of the refuse stored therein and provides a danger alert when the weight of the refuse nears or exceeds a predetermined maximum. A display can display a value based on the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container. Further, one or more light sources can provide an indication of the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container. For example, the number of light source lit can provide an indication of the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container. A scale in the refuse container measures the weight of the refuse held therein. A controller uses the weight of the refuse held in the refuse container to determine the value to display on the display and whether to activate the light sources.

A method of paying the fee of recycling a used product is disclosed, which includes the steps of managing ID information of a recycle certificate issued and sales information indicating the recycle certificate sold to a discharger in a corresponding relation with each other to form a recycle certificate information, calculating a recycle certificate sales price based on contents of the recycle certificate information and demanding and receiving the calculated recycle certificate sales price, and paying the demanded recycle certificate sales price. As a result, the account for the fees of the product recycle among plural entities involved in the product recycle can be settled both accurately and properly.