Automatic Waste Sorter Machine using Proximity Sensor

Vivi Tri Widyaningrum, Ahmad Sahru Romadhon and Rahmawati Safitri

Mechatronics Engineering Department, University of Trunojoyo Madura, Bangkalan, Indonesia

Keywords: Capacitive Proximity Sensor; Inductive Proximity Sensor; Microcontroller; PIR Sensor; Ultrasonic Sensor,
Waste Sorter Machine

Abstract: The waste problem is not a new thing anymore in Indonesia. Public awareness is still lacking not to litter. One
solution that can be done is to make a special trash bin so that it is easy when sorting out which the waste can
be disposed of at a landfill or to be recycled. Therefore, in this study an automatic waste sorter machine was
made. This machine can sort metal trash, plastic bottles, or not both, which are sorted the waste will be put in
different bins according to type. In this machine, Arduino Mega 2560 is used as the main brain, which will
work according to the input obtained from PIR sensor, LDR sensor, inductive proximity sensor, capacitive
proximity sensor, and ultrasonic sensor. Testing on automatic waste sorter machine is carried out using five
types of waste, namely cans, non-transparent plastic bottles that contain water, transparent plastic bottles,
transparent plastic, and report books. From the test results obtained that the automatic waste sorter machine
can detect waste entering the trash can according to its type by 72%. Whereas 28% experienced a detection
error, which was the biggest error occurred in the detection of transparent empty plastic bottles.

1 INTRODUCTION (Ranjitha et al., 2018), (Engineering, 2019), (Chahine

and Ghazal, 2017). This is certainly not suitable for a
The problem of waste is not new anymore, especially small-scale trash bins because to make or buy it
in Indonesia. Waste has become a severe problem. requires expensive costs. Therefore, in this study, an
Lack of awareness from the community is one of the automatic waste sorter machine designed for a small-
causes. Many people still litter, for example, in scale was created. This machine uses an inductive
sewers, rivers or the sea. According to a survey proximity sensor to detect metal waste and a
conducted by BPS in 2018 there were 72% of the capacitive proximity sensor to detect plastic bottle
public not yet concerned about waste management, waste. These sensors were chosen because they have
even 81% of plastic waste is dumped into the sea so been proven to be able to sort out different types of
that it will be very dangerous to the sustainability of waste (Chahine and Ghazal, 2017), (Pushpa et al.,
the oceans (García Nieto et al., 2018). In 2025 it is 2015), (C, Badami and H, 2017). Then this machine
predicted that plastic waste entering the sea will is equipped with a PIR sensor to detect whether or not
increase, if there is no improvement in waste people are going to throw waste, thus making opening
management (Jambeck et al., 2015). One solution that and closing the trash cans automatically. In addition,
can be done is to make a special trash bin so that it is there are also a LDR sensors and an ultrasonic sensors
easy when sorting out which rubbish can be disposed as additional detectors so that bins become smart
of in landfills or which will be recycled. (Mapari et al., 2020). The LDR sensor is used to
In some studies a smart trash bin has been created detect whether the waste has entered to the trash can
which can provide information if the trash bin is full and the ultrasonic sensor is used as a warning when
(Fadel, 2017), (Zavare et al., 2017), (Navghane, the trash can is full.
Killedar and Rohokale, 2016), but sorting has not
been done for the type of waste included. Subsequent
research has made waste sorting machines, but on
machines made using conveyors (Wath and Ughade,
2019), (Jude et al., 2019), (Chaithanya et al., 2017),
(Samreen et al., 2017), (Williams and Bentil, 2016),

264
Widyaningrum, V., Romadhon, A. and Safitri, R.
Automatic Waste Sorter Machine using Proximity Sensor.
DOI: 10.5220/0010331102640270
In Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics, Medical, Biological Engineering, and Pharmaceutical (HIMBEP 2020), pages 264-270
ISBN: 978-989-758-500-5
Copyright c 2021 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
 Automatic Waste Sorter Machine using Proximity Sensor

2 METHOD
2.1 System Description
The tool made is an automatic waste sorter machine.
In this machine, uses the Arduino Mega 2560
microcontroller as the main brain. The shape of the
Arduino Mega 2560 microcontroller is as shown in
Figure 1. This board has relatively many input/output
pins, namely 54 digital input/output pins of which 15
pins can be used as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
outputs, 16 pins as analog inputs, 4 pins as UART
(hardware serial port), 16 MHz crystal oscillator,
USB connection, jack power, header ICSP, and reset
button. Of course this makes it easier for us to make Figure 2: The block diagram of an automatic waste sorter
machine.
tools.

Figure 3: The PIR sensor.

Figure 1: The Arduino Mega 2560 Microcontroller. The LDR sensor is a resistor component whose
resistance value will vary according to the intensity
In an automatic waste sorter machine, arduino will of light hitting this sensor. The more light hitting the
work based on input obtained from Passive Infrared LDR sensor, the resistance value will decrease.
Sensor (PIR) sensor, Light-Dependent Resistor Conversely, the less light hitting the LDR sensor, the
(LDR) sensor, inductive proximity sensor, capacitive greater the resistance value so that it will inhibit the
proximity sensor, and ultrasonic sensors. Then as the electric current flowing. The shape of the LDR sensor
output on this machine used a servo motor and is as shown in Figure 4. In an automatic waste sorter
buzzer. The servo motor functions to push or rotate machine, the LDR sensor functions as a detector to
the trash can cover with a high degree of precision in detect whether trash has been put in the trash can or
terms of angle position, acceleration, and speed. not.
While the buzzer functions as a warning sound when
the trash can is full. The block diagram of this
automatic waste sorter machine is shown in Figure 2.
The PIR sensor is a sensor that can detect
movement, has a small size, requires small power,
and is quite easy to use, so it is suitable for use on
small-scale machine, such as this automatic waste Figure 4: The LDR sensor.
sorter machine. The shape of the PIR sensor is as
shown in Figure 3. In this machine, the PIR sensor The proximity sensor is a sensor that is able to
functions to detect whether someone is going to take detect objects that are close to within the detection
out the trash or not. limit of the sensor even without touching. This sensor
detects the presence of objects using electromagnetic
fields or electromagnetic radiation rays to determine
whether there are certain objects around them. There
are several types of proximity sensors, which in this
automatic waste sorter machine uses an inductive

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HIMBEP 2020 - International Conference on Health Informatics, Medical, Biological Engineering, and Pharmaceutical

proximity sensor a capacitive proximity sensor. The of the first inner bin, which serves as a detector
inductive proximity sensor functions as a detector whether or not waste is put in the bin. Then in this
whether the incoming waste is metal waste or not. tool used two types of proximity sensors, namely
The shape of the inductive proximity sensor is shown inductive proximity sensors and capacitive proximity
in Figure 5. While the capacitive proximity sensor sensors. The inductive proximity sensor is placed on
functions as a detector for incoming waste in the form the lid of the first inner bin, which is adjacent to the
of plastic bottles or not. The shape of the capacitive LDR sensor, which functions as a detector for
proximity sensor is shown in Figure 6. incoming waste in the form of metal waste or not.
Whereas the capacitive proximity sensor is placed on
the lid of the second inner bin, which serves as a
detector for incoming waste in the form of plastic
bottles or not. Then as a complement to this machine
there is also an ultrasonic sensor as a detector when
the trash bin is full. Because this machine uses three
bins, there are also three ultrasonic sensors.
The workings of the automatic waste sorter
machine made can be seen in Figure 8, which starts
with a PIR sensor that detects whether there is
Figure 5: The inductive proximity sensor. movement or not on the trash bin. If a movement is
detected above the trash can, it means that someone
will throw the trash, so the servo motor 1 will rotate
170°. In this case, it means that the outer lid of the
trash can will open automatically so that waste can be
put into the trash. Then on the inside of the trash bin
there are two more lids on the trash bin, which will
also work automatically based on the input it receives.
Figure 6: The capacitive proximity sensor. In an automatic wate sorter machine, when waste
enters the trash, the process is that the incoming waste
The ultrasonic sensor is a distance sensor that is is first collected in the lid of the first inner trash can.
able to read a distance of approximately 2 cm to 4 On the lid of the first inner trash bin there is an LDR
meters. The ultrasonic sensors work by emitting sensor equipped with an Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
ultrasonic waves, which are waves used to detect the so that the reading is more accurate, which is the
presence of an object by estimating the distance process if there is waste in this lid then the LDR will
between the sensor and the object. The shape of the read the dark. In this case, it means that garbage has
ultrasonic sensor is shown in Figure 7. In an been detected that has entered the trash and the waste
automatic waste sorter machine, the ultrasonic sensor sorting process wil be carried out.
detects whether the trash can is full or not.

Figure 7: The ultrasonic sensor.

2.2 Automatic Waste Sorter Machine

Design
The PIR sensor is placed in the top position of the lid
of the outside of the trash that serves to detect whether
there is movement or not on top of the trash, which in
this case if there is movement means someone will
dispose of waste. The LDR sensor is placed on the lid

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 Automatic Waste Sorter Machine using Proximity Sensor

Start Start

The object is near the trash Waste

Inductive proximity
The PIR sensor detects sensor detects waste
the movement of objects
Ye
Metal Servo 2 rotates

There is
No
movement? No Ultrasonic
Servo 2 rotates 90° sensor 1 detects
Yes metal bins

Capacitive proximity
Servo 1 rotates 170°
sensor detects waste

Ye
LDR sensor detects dark Servo 3 rotates
Plastic

No
Ultrasonic
Dark? Servo 3 rotates sensor 2 detects
No
plastic bottle
Yes
Ultrasonic sensor 3
Waste Sorting Process detect non-metal and
non-plastic bins
Garbage enters the
appropriate type
No
Full
End
Ye
Figure 8: Automatic waste sorter machine flowchart.
Buzzer
ON
The flowchart of the waste sorting process can be
seen in Figure 9. The process begins with an inductive
proximity sensor that will work to detect waste
entering the lid of the first inner trash bin whether End
metal or not. The inductive proximity sensor is placed
on the lid of the first inner trash can, which is next to Figure 9: The flowchart of the waste sorting process.
the LDR sensor. The process is if the inductive
proximity sensor detects metal waste, the servo motor On the lid of the second inner trash bin, there is a
2 which is also on the lid of the first inner trash bin capacitive proximity sensor that detects incoming
can will rotate 0° so that the metal waste will enter the waste in the form of plastic bottles or not. If the
metal trash can. However, if the inductive proximity capacitive proximity sensor detects plastic bottle bins,
sensor detects it is not metal waste, the servo motor 2 servo motor 3 which is on the lid of the second inner
which is on the lid of the first inner trash bin will trash bin will rotate 0° so that the plastic bottle bins
rotate 90° so that the waste will enter the lid of the will enter the plastic bottle trash bin. However, if the
second inner trash bin. capacitive proximity sensor detects that it is not
plastic bottle bins, servo motor 3 which is on the lid

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of the second inner trash bin, will rotate 110° so that Experiments on the automatic waste sorter
the waste will enter the non-metal and not plastic machine were carried out using five types of waste,
bottles trash bin. After the waste enters the namely cans, non-transparent plastic bottles filled
appropriate type of waste, then the ultrasonic sensor with water, transparent empty plastic bottles, plastic,
will detect whether the trash bin is full or not. In this and report books. Each type of waste was tested ten
machine three trash bins are used so that there are also times, the results are shown in Table 1, Table 2, Table
three ultrasonic sensors, namely ultrasonic sensor 1 3, Table 4, and Table 5.
placed in metal bins, ultrasonic sensor 2 placed in The results of automatic waste sorter machine
plastic bottle bins, and ultrasonic sensor 3 placed in testing using cans waste are shown in Table 1. At ten
non-metal and also not a plastic bottle bins. If any of times the experiment carried out trash can be
the three ultrasonic sensors detect that the trash bin is announced as metal waste. This shows that the
full, the buzzer will sound as a warning sign. detection has been done 100% correct.

Table 1: Automatic waste sorter machine testing results for

cans waste.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Cans included in the category
Trial to-
The results of making an automatic waste sorter Metal Plastic Not Both
machine are shown in Figure 10. The description of 1 √ - -
the numbering in the image is : 2 √ - -
1. Tool wall 3 √ - -
2. Power supply 12V 5A 4 √ - -
3. Cover the second inner bin 5 √ - -
4. Tool framework 6 √ - -
7 √ - -
5. Trash that is neither metal nor plastic bottle
8 √ - -
6. Cover the first inner bin
9 √ - -
7. Arduino Mega 2560 10 √ - -
8. Metal trash can Percentage 100% 0% 0%
9. Plastic bottle trash can
In Figure 10, the lid of the trash can number 6 is the In Table 2 is the result of testing the automatic
place for the LDR sensor, inductive proximity sensor, waste sorter machine using the waste of non-
and also the servo motor 2. Then for the placement of transparent plastic bottles filled with water. In ten
the PIR sensor, servo motor 1, and buzzer is the top experiments that have been carried out the waste of
position on the outer trash can cover, which is located non-transparent plastic bottles filled with water were
just above number 6. While the lid of the trash bin detected as plastic waste. This of course also shows
number 3 is the place for the capacitive proximity that the detection has been done is 100% correct.
sensor and the servo motor 3.
Table 2: Automatic waste sorter machine testing results for
the waste of non-transparent plastic bottles filled with
water.
The waste of non-transparent plastic
bottles filled with water included in the
Trial to-
category
Metal Plastic Not Both
1 - √ -
2 - √ -
3 - √ -
4 - √ -
5 - √ -
6 - √ -
7 - √ -
8 - √ -
Figure 10: The results of making an automatic waste sorter 9 - √ -
machine. 10 - √ -
Percentage 0% 100% 0%

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 Automatic Waste Sorter Machine using Proximity Sensor

In Table 3 is the result of testing the automatic only 60% correct, while the 40% experienced an error
waste sorter machine using transparent empty plastic because the report book waste is detected as plastic.
bottles bins. In ten experiments that have been carried
out, transparent empty plastic bottles are detected as Table 5: Automatic waste sorter machine testing results for
non-metal and non-plastic waste (not both). This report book waste.
certainly shows that the detection that has been done Report book included in the category
is 100% wrong, because empty plastic bottles that are Trial to-
Metal Plastic Not Both
transparent should be included in the type of plastic 1 - √ -
waste. 2 - - √
3 - - √
Table 3: Automatic waste sorter machine testing results for 4 - - √
transparent empty plastic bottles. 5 - √ -
6 - √ -
Transparent empty plastic bottles 7 - - √
Trial to- included in the category 8 - - √
Metal Plastic Not Both 9 - √ -
1 - - √ 10 - - √
2 - - √ Percentage 0% 40% 60%
3 - - √
4 - - √
5 - - √
6 - - √
4 CONCLUSIONS
7 - - √
8 - - √ From the test results, it can be concluded that 72% the
9 - - √ automatic waste sorter machine can detect waste
10 - - √ entering the trash according to its type. Then the
Percentage 0% 0% 100% automatic waste sorter machine has a detection error
of 28%. The biggest error occurred in detecting
In Table 4 is the result of testing the automatic transparent empty plastic bottles. This is because
waste sorter machine using plastic waste. In ten capacitive proximity sensors are more sensitive if the
experiments carried out plastic waste was detected as plastic bottles detected are not transparent.
non-metal and non-plastic waste (not both). This
shows that the detection has been done 100% correct.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Table 4: Automatic waste sorter machine testing results for
plastic waste.
The author would like to thank the financial support
Plastic included in the category of DIPA FT UTM 2020 until this article can be
Trial to-
Metal Plastic Not Both published.
1 - - √
2 - - √
3 - - √
4 - - √
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