Rising fuel costs are putting waste collection fleets under pressure. The most effective way to protect margins is route optimization, moving from static schedules to dynamic, data-driven collection based on real fill levels. This is exactly what NANDO.Sensor makes possible.
In early 2026, diesel prices in the United States surpassed $4 per gallon, marking the highest levels in almost two years amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This surge, driven primarily by conflict‑related disruptions to crude oil supply and shipping routes, is having a direct impact on transportation costs across industries, including waste management.

The challenge is clear: how do you maintain service quality when your largest variable cost is skyrocketing? The answer lies in a combination of transparent billing, technical efficiency, and data-driven route management.

Why it matters:

• Fuel can account for up to 30% of municipal fleet operating costs
• Rising costs can trigger fuel surcharges passed to clients
• Inefficient collection routes exacerbate the problem

The 2026 fuel crisis: what’s happening and why it matters

In March 2026, the average retail price of diesel in the U.S. climbed above $4.04 per gallon, an increase not seen in nearly two years. Analysts suggest prices could continue rising, possibly reaching $4.25–$4.45 per gallon depending on developments in global crude markets.

The primary driver of this spike is a continuation of conflict in the Middle East, including retaliatory strikes and disruptions to oil infrastructure that have tightened global diesel inventories and shipping flows. Supply chain bottlenecks, especially through critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 10% of the world’s diesel supply moves, have increased sensitivity to these geopolitical events.

This means diesel price increases aren’t isolated to consumer gas stations: they ripple throughout the industrial economy. Waste collection companies, heavily dependent on diesel for daily routes, find themselves on the front lines of cost pressure as fuel becomes more expensive.

Why fuel costs matter in waste collection

Waste collection fleets operate under unique cost structures: they involve heavy vehicles, frequent start‑stop driving, and long daily distances traveled. Unlike passenger vehicles, commercial waste trucks rarely benefit from efficient highway cruising; instead, they spend much of their time in slow, congested urban environments, where idling and stop‑and‑go traffic further increase fuel waste.

Moreover, rising diesel prices don’t just affect direct fuel purchases. Higher diesel increases costs across the supply chain, from landfill operations to processing facilities, and can cascade into higher service fees if not managed proactively.

Route Optimization: the most effective immediate lever

Before implementing any cost-saving strategy, fleets must understand how fuel is consumed across their operations. Telematics and onboard diagnostics provide real-time data on fuel consumption, idle times, mileage, and driver behavior. Such data helps identify inefficiencies and allows fleet managers to prioritize the most impactful interventions. Analyzing route patterns can highlight redundant mileage, unnecessary detours, or inefficiencies caused by urban congestion, while tracking driver habits can reveal excessive idling or aggressive driving that increases fuel consumption.

Route optimization emerges as the single most effective lever to reduce fuel expenses. Smart route planning considers traffic conditions, stop sequencing, vehicle load, and time windows, minimizing unnecessary mileage and idle time. Studies suggest fleets implementing route optimization can reduce total miles driven by 10–30%, with corresponding fuel savings of 15–20%. The financial impact scales with fleet size: even a 10% reduction in mileage for a mid-sized fleet can save tens of thousands of dollars annually.

How route optimization saves fuel:

• Eliminates redundant mileage: Fewer backtracking and overlapping routes.
• Reduces idle times: Avoids rush hour zones and stop‑heavy traffic segments.
• Enhances scheduling: Groups stops in the most fuel‑efficient geographical order.

For waste fleets that serve residential and commercial zones daily, these savings multiply rapidly. A 10% reduction in miles driven across a large fleet translates directly into tens of thousands of dollars in annual fuel savings.

From static schedules to dynamic intelligence

Historically, waste management has relied on “static routing”—the practice of following the same map every Monday, regardless of whether a bin is overflowing or completely empty. In a pre-2026 economy, the cost of “collecting air” was a tolerable inefficiency. Today, with the Middle East conflict pushing diesel toward the $5 mark, collecting an empty bin is no longer just a minor waste; it is a direct hit to the company’s solvency.

To bridge the gap between rising costs and operational survival, the industry is shifting toward Demand-Responsive Collection (DRC). This is not just about better maps; it is about real-time visibility into the infrastructure itself.

Enter NANDO.Sensor: The digital hedge against volatility

The most significant breakthrough in this space is the deployment of IoT-enabled hardware like NANDO.Sensor. By installing these rugged, ultrasonic devices inside commercial and residential containers, haulers can finally stop guessing.

NANDO.Sensor works by constantly monitoring the fill-level, temperature, and orientation of the bin. This data is transmitted via cellular or LoRaWAN networks to the Nando AI cloud, where it is transformed into actionable intelligence.

• The “Zero-Waste” manifest: Instead of a driver starting the day with a list of 500 stops, NANDO generates a dynamic manifest of only the 320 bins that actually require service.
• Preventing the “Emergency Run”: High fuel prices make unscheduled, one-off pickups (due to overflows) incredibly expensive. NANDO uses predictive analytics to alert managers before a bin reaches capacity, allowing it to be integrated into an existing fuel-efficient route.

When we talk about waste hauler fuel efficiency, we are really talking about the “Cost Per Lift.” In a high-diesel environment, the only way to keep the Cost Per Lift stable is to increase the volume of waste collected per mile driven.

NANDO.Sensor facilitates this by maximizing “bin density” per route. By ensuring that every stop on a route results in a significant volume of waste collected, the fuel consumed by the truck’s hydraulic compaction system is balanced against a higher payload.

Furthermore, the integration of sensor data with NANDO’s route optimization engine addresses the “Idling Problem.” Garbage trucks burn approximately one gallon of diesel for every hour of idling. By using real-time data to avoid congested areas and optimizing the sequence of stops to minimize PTO (Power Take-Off) engagement, Nando AI helps fleets reclaim hours of wasted fuel every week.

The new standard for 2026 and beyond

The era of cheap, stable energy is over. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have proven that the waste industry can no longer afford to be “analog.” To survive the $4+ gallon reality, haulers must embrace a philosophy of Precision Waste Management.

By combining the rugged reliability of NANDO.Sensor, companies can move from a position of vulnerability to one of resilience. You cannot control the price of oil, and you cannot control global conflict but you can control every mile your trucks drive.

The choice is simple: continue to pay the “inefficiency tax” at the pump, or invest in the intelligence that makes every gallon count.

© 2026 NANDO. Tutti i diritti riservati.

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Manual waste weighing with a mechanical scale is still the most common method for collecting data on waste generated in commercial, industrial, and service buildings. It is a consolidated process, familiar to operators, and seemingly reliable.

The problem is that the data it produces is less reliable than it appears, and the operational cost required to obtain it is much higher than typically calculated.

In 2026, this limitation has become harder to ignore. Companies face at least three concrete pressures that require accurate, digital, and auditable waste data:

• ESG reporting obligations (CSRD): Large European companies must produce transparent and verifiable data for sustainability reporting, including waste data and Scope 3 emissions.

• ISO 14001 and EMAS: Companies certified under ISO 14001 or registered under EMAS must monitor and measure their environmental impacts, including waste generation, with data that can be verified by external auditors. Manual, non-calibrated measurement does not meet the reliability requirements of these standards.

• Circular economy and corporate sustainability strategies: Achieving zero-waste targets or waste reduction goals requires high-granularity data on waste composition, not just total weight. Without knowing what is being discarded and where, it is impossible to define an effective strategy.

An analog scale produces a number. Today’s regulations require data.

The Traditional Process: Four Steps, Four Points of Error

The standard measurement flow using a mechanical scale consists of four stages:

1. Manual weighing of the bag on the scale
2. Manual recording of the weight on paper or in a digital register
3. Data entry into Excel
4. Sharing the report with the manager

Each step introduces a margin of error. None of the four produces disaggregated data by waste type. And the entire process requires operational time that is rarely accounted for in the real cost of waste management.

The real issue is not weighing — it is tracking. The manual process creates a lack of real-time alerts, no visibility into contamination, and no ability to forecast future volumes. The data exists only at the moment it is written down and then disappears into Excel until the monthly report.

Most Common Types of Mechanical Scales

Several types are available on the market, with different features and tolerances:

• Spring scale (±5–10% tolerance)
• Bench scale for light waste
• Industrial waste scale (capacity up to 500 kg)
• Cart-integrated collection scale
• Dedicated scale for canteens and retail (GDO)

All share the same structural limitation: they produce a total weight, without information about waste composition or quality.

The Accuracy Problem: Why 78% Is the Real Figure

A new, calibrated mechanical scale has a standard tolerance of ±0.1 kg (OIML R111 standard). On a 4 kg bag — the average size in commercial or industrial contexts — this corresponds to an initial 3% loss in accuracy, which may seem acceptable.

The problem emerges over time and in real operating conditions:

ISO 9001 calibration. The ISO 9001 standard requires certified annual calibration. Without it, tolerance can increase to ±0.5 kg after only six months of continuous use, reducing accuracy by approximately 9%.

Human error. Incorrect bag placement, double counting, misreading, distraction — these factors cause variations of up to ±10% in real operating conditions.

Adding these factors together:

A non-calibrated scale used under real conditions averages 78% accuracy. NANDO.App, by eliminating human error and ensuring ISO 9001 Bureau Veritas certification, reaches 95%.

The difference is concrete: on a site producing 100 kg of waste per day, 78% accuracy means 22 kg of incorrect data every day — approximately 8,000 kg per year of measurements on which operational, reporting, and sustainability decisions are based.

How NANDO.App Works: A Photo Instead of a Scale

The operator installs NANDO.App on the smartphone they already use. The process is reduced to two steps:

1. Take a photo of the bag contents before replacing it
2. Automatic AI-generated report on the centralized dashboard

Main system features:

• Object recognition: AI identifies what is thrown away, category by category
• Weight-volume association: advanced algorithms correlate visible volume with estimated weight
• Contaminant detection: the system identifies misplaced materials that reduce recycling quality and increase disposal costs
• Real-time dashboard: data available per bin, floor, building, or multi-site network
• Certified ESG reporting: auditable data compatible with CSRD, RENTRI, MUD, and major international frameworks

No scale. No paper logs. No connection to the site’s private network: the app runs autonomously on 4G.

The Hidden Cost of Manual Weighing

The comparison is not only about accuracy. The operational cost of manual weighing is systematically underestimated.

Data collected from real NANDO installations with 300 bins shows:

The 85% savings in labor cost dedicated to waste measurement emerges from comparing one minute per bag with a mechanical scale versus six seconds with NANDO.App — translating into tens of thousands of dollars per year for sites with medium waste volumes.

Accuracy That Improves, Not Degrades

A structural difference compared to mechanical scales: NANDO.App’s accuracy does not degrade over time — it improves.

Each photo feeds a dynamic database updated in real time through generative AI. The more the system is used in a specific context, the more precise it becomes for that environment.

Internal data shows that in the first 12 weeks accuracy increases progressively from an initial 60% to 92%, where it then stabilizes. A non-calibrated mechanical scale follows the opposite trajectory.

The Data a Scale Cannot Provide: Waste Composition

Even under optimal conditions — perfectly calibrated scale, no operator error — a fundamental limitation remains: total weight does not reveal waste composition.

A weighed bag returns a number. It does not say whether the waste is paper, plastic, organic, or mixed. It does not identify contaminants. It does not allow calculation of recycling quality.

By classifying bag contents through AI, NANDO.App produces disaggregated data by material type, enabling analyses impossible with mechanical weighing: segregation quality, contaminant identification, collection optimization by stream, ESG and CSRD Scope 3 category reporting.

Which System Should You Choose?

The answer depends on the operational context and regulatory obligations.

Manual weighing with a mechanical scale remains sufficient for very small waste volumes, no ESG reporting requirements, and no need for category-level data. In all other cases, the structural limitations of the system — degrading accuracy, non-auditable data, high operational cost — become a concrete problem.

NANDO.App is the appropriate choice for organizations managing multiple sites, subject to CSRD or RENTRI obligations, aiming to optimize recycling with real data, or needing to reduce operational time dedicated to measurement. Digitalizing waste measurement is no longer optional for those who must transform waste weight into actionable business intelligence.

Frequently Asked Questions

© 2026 NANDO. Tutti i diritti riservati.

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In the debate on urban waste management, quantity alone is no longer enough. Achieving high recycling rates is important, but the real measure of success lies in the quality of waste collection.

A clean collection, free from contamination, allows for efficient recycling and reduces treatment costs. On the other hand, an “impure” collection, with incorrect or mixed materials, can compromise the entire system, increasing costs, inefficiencies, and risks of non-compliance with regulations.

Why the quality of urban waste collection matters

When collection meets high-quality standards, waste arrives at treatment plants ready for recycling. This reduces residuals, minimizes sorting needs, and speeds up processes. Materials also gain higher commercial value. Conversely, contaminated collection generates waste, higher costs, and inefficiencies across the entire waste management chain.

For waste collection companies, high quality means streamlined processes, better material recovery, and increased revenue. Regulatory risks are also reduced.
For municipalities, quality collection leads to lower costs, reduced environmental impact, and improved public services. It also supports the development of smart cities and circular economy models.

The quality of urban waste collection is also essential to comply with European and national regulations. Achieving recycling targets is not enough: collected fractions must be truly recyclable and free from impurities. For example, if organic waste contains plastics, metals, or glass, its value as a secondary raw material decreases.

Impact on waste collection companies

For companies managing waste, quality is synonymous with operational efficiency. Contaminated waste collection leads to:

• Longer processing times at plants and sorting facilities
• Reduced recyclable materials, resulting in economic loss
• Regulatory non-compliance risks and possible sanctions

Impact on municipalities

For municipalities, low-quality collection:

• Undermines sustainability and circular economy goals
• Increases waste disposal and management costs
• Reduces citizen trust and the effectiveness of awareness campaigns

What waste contamination means

Contamination occurs when different materials are incorrectly disposed of together. Plastic in organics, glass in mixed recyclables, or food waste in paper — each error compromises the overall quality of the process.

According to the Italian Composting Consortium (CIC), in 2023 the average purity of organic waste collected in Italy was 93.6%, with impurities at 6.4%. Although positive, this figure shows that contamination remains a real challenge, even in the most virtuous regions.

The consequences are tangible: more waste residues at plants, higher sorting and disposal costs, lower quality of recycled materials, and potential rejection from recycling consortia. Contaminated materials also lose economic value, reducing profitability across the supply chain.

Monitoring waste quality: a regulatory duty and a competitive advantage

The issue of waste quality is an integral part of both Italian and European legislative frameworks.

At the national level, Legislative Decree 152/2006 establishes that waste collection must promote recycling and material recovery. The UNI/PdR 123:2021 guideline, developed by UNI and CIC, defines methods to measure the quality of organic fractions intended for composting and anaerobic digestion, setting clear limits for non-compatible materials.

From a regulatory perspective, ARERA, through resolutions 15/2022/R/RIF and 450/2024/R/RIF, emphasized the importance of monitoring and improving waste collection quality as a key efficiency parameter of the service.

In summary, quality is no longer an added value, it is an operational, economic, and environmental obligation.

The Waste Quality Map: AI serving waste quality

To meet these needs, NANDO has developed the Waste Quality Map, a digital solution that enables real-time waste quality monitoring.

A waste collection truck equipped with AI cameras not only records the collected quantity but also analyzes the quality of each bin. Every emptying generates valuable data: artificial intelligence detects incorrect disposal, measures contamination levels, and produces territorial performance maps.

Thanks to these insights, municipalities and companies can identify critical areas, plan targeted improvement actions, and optimize routes and resources.

Today, municipalities and companies have the opportunity to transform waste management into a truly data-driven system. NANDO’s Waste Quality Map represents a concrete step in this direction.

And are you ready to improve the quality of waste collection in your area?

Don’t miss out: follow our LinkedIn page for the latest news.

Take the next step: speak with one of our Sustainability Experts.

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We are excited to welcome Alessia Silvestro, ESG Senior Manager at Flutter Southern Europe & Africa (Flutter SEA), as the new NANDO Ambassador!

When technology and sustainability come together, the results become tangible. Thanks to NANDO’s AI platform, waste monitoring becomes precise, transparent, and data-driven. This improves recycling practices and promotes more conscious behaviors within companies.

Today, at the Sisal offices, part of the Flutter SEA group, we are seeing a 10-percentage-point increase in recycling quality. There are also hundreds of monthly interactions through the gamification service NANDO.Quiz. These results demonstrate a real cultural shift.
The outcome confirms that digital innovation can make the Circular Economy a daily, measurable, and shared process.

Sisal and Flutter SEA: Innovation and Sustainability at the Core

Founded in 1946, Sisal is one of Italy’s most established companies in the services and entertainment sector.
Today, it is part of the international Flutter Entertainment group through the Flutter Southern Europe & Africa (Flutter SEA) division.

Being part of a global ecosystem strengthens Sisal’s commitment to combining innovation, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. Intelligent waste management becomes a strategic lever. It supports ESG reporting, helps achieve environmental certifications (ISO 14001, EMAS), and enhances corporate reputation.

Why Waste Monitoring is Crucial for Companies

In workplaces, recycling often faces obstacles. There may be a lack of monitoring tools, mistakes in disposal, and low awareness among employees.
Even the most ambitious strategies can fail without reliable data and smart tools.

The main advantages of intelligent waste monitoring are:

• Real-time traceability of waste flows and disposal;
• Error reduction and improved recycling quality;
• Support for ESG reporting and greater transparency toward stakeholders and authorities;
• Leveraging environmental commitment as a strategic business advantage.

Thanks to NANDO’s AI, Sisal can collect and analyze environmental data in real time. This shifts waste management from a reactive approach to a data-driven and predictive approach.

The Sisal Project: Technology, Spaces, and People

Launched in 2023, the project is the result of a collaboration between Sisal and NANDO. Its goal is to improve the effectiveness and quality of recycling in offices.
The approach combines an integrated strategy involving workspace redesign, smart technologies, and employee engagement. The project started in the Milan office and later expanded to Rome.

Main Phases of the Project:

1. Workspace redesign: removal of individual bins and introduction of centralized collection hubs equipped with NANDO systems;
2. Implementation of smart technology: plug-and-play devices with AI continuously monitor the quantity and quality of waste produced, achieving over 92% accuracy. NANDO’s AI can identify waste types and estimate the quantity and quality of recycling. Data is aggregated and displayed in real time on a digital dashboard accessible to facility managers and sustainability teams;
3. Employee engagement: alongside technical monitoring, NANDO.Quiz gamification was introduced to the Sisal community. Each time waste is disposed of correctly, users receive a quick quiz with guidance on the right bin. Correct answers earn eco-friendly rewards and discounts on mobility, food, and services, turning every action into learning and positive impact;
4. Environmental reporting: collected data is available in real time on dashboards for facility managers and sustainability teams.

Results Achieved: +10 Percentage Points in Recycling Quality and Over 3 Tons of CO₂ Avoided

Between November 2023 and May 2025, the project led to a 10-percentage-point increase in recycling quality across the two offices. 82% of the waste produced, equivalent to 9,369 kg, was recovered, generating a potential savings of 3,591 kg of CO₂ equivalent.

These numbers capture the essence of the project: a concrete approach to the Circular Economy, enabled by AI capable of turning information into action. As Alessia Silvestro emphasizes: “Innovation is a fundamental tool to make sustainability an integral part of our daily work.”

Join the NANDO Community!

The NANDO Community brings together companies, professionals, and innovators sharing a common goal: creating a more sustainable future through data, AI, and technology.
Each Ambassador promotes a culture of Circular Economy based on concrete, measurable, and replicable actions.

The results achieved with Sisal show that AI can accelerate the transition to a circular economy, turning waste management into a strategic advantage for companies.

Join the NANDO community and discover how to:

• Improve recycling quality;
• Reduce waste and inefficiencies;
• Generate certifiable ESG reports;
• Engage your community in concrete sustainability initiatives.

🎥 Watch Alessia Silvestro’s video testimony on our LinkedIn profile: click here.

Don’t miss out: follow our LinkedIn page for the latest news.

Take the next step: speak with one of our Sustainability Experts.

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We are thrilled to announce that NANDO has been selected among the 11 international startups participating in the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator Program 2025. Indeed, this is an acceleration program dedicated to the best ClimateTech solutions tackling global environmental challenges. Our startup was chosen from over 550 applications, confirming the value of our waste monitoring and sustainable urban waste management solutions.

As a result, this recognition allows us to join an exclusive network of companies that are revolutionizing the sector of green technology, sustainability, and environmental innovation.

What is the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator Program 2025 and why it matters

The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator Program is an intensive four-week program designed to support startups and scale-ups in growing and implementing sustainable technologies.

Specifically, the program includes:

• Expert-led workshops to develop strategic and operational skills
• Mentoring sessions with industry leaders and international innovators
• Leadership panels focusing on sustainability, energy efficiency, and waste management
• Operational pilots with Amazon Europe to test solutions in real-world environments

For ClimateTech startups, participation means direct access to operational know-how, personalized mentoring, and opportunities to scale innovative environmental solutions.

Selected ClimateTech startups and their innovative solutions

This year, Amazon selected 11 startups and scale-ups addressing critical challenges related to:

1. Energy efficiency, systems to reduce consumption and improve energy management
2. Waste management, innovative solutions for monitoring and transforming waste into resources
3. Water management, technologies to reduce water waste and optimize resource use

Olivier Pellegrini, European Director of Sustainability & Packaging Operations at Amazon, emphasizes: “This cohort combines technological innovation with practical applicability. These startups can have a real impact on Amazon’s operations and contribute to global sustainability.”

Why NANDO is ready to scale its sustainable solutions

Being part of the Amazon ClimateTech Accelerator validates NANDO ’s mission and our waste monitoring and urban waste management optimization technologies.

The program provides us with:

• Strategic mentoring to scale environmental solutions
• Operational tests with Amazon to validate technologies in the field
• International networking opportunities with other ClimateTech startups

Participating in this initiative allows us to grow as an innovative green startup, accelerating positive environmental impact and contributing to more sustainable cities.

The innovation and sustainability community

Among the selected startups are Mhor Energy Limited, Cartesian, Over Easy, Active Surfaces, Omniflow®, Blue Frontier, Solaq, Greyparrot, and Vuala. These companies are all focused on developing green tech solutions with real implementation potential.

Moreover, collaborating with these companies fosters knowledge sharing, joint projects, and large-scale implementations, thus creating an international network of sustainable innovation.

The future of sustainable technology with NANDO and Amazon

The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator Program, launched in 2022, has supported over 70 startups and scale-ups across six cohorts. Additionally, it has provided training, mentoring, and growth opportunities. Amazon previously invested €750,000 in active pilots, demonstrating a concrete commitment to turning innovation into real actions. For NANDO, this program represents a milestone in growing our waste management and sustainable monitoring solutions. It certainly allows us to further consolidate our international and global presence.

We are ready to take our intelligent urban waste management technologies to the next level. Discover how NANDO can help companies and cities become more sustainable: Book a free demo.

Don’t miss out: follow our LinkedIn page for the latest news.

Take the next step: speak with one of our Sustainability Experts.

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In many Italian cities, urban waste collection is still managed in a traditional way. Every day, trucks travel the same routes, stopping in front of the same bins regardless of how full they are. Sometimes the bins are overflowing, with waste left on the sides. Other times, they are only half-full, yet they are emptied anyway.

At first glance, this system might seem to work: the waste is collected. But behind this old-fashioned approach lies a huge economic, logistical, and environmental inefficiency, which weighs heavily on municipal and corporate budgets, while also damaging the city’s image and reputation. Solutions like NANDO, based on AI technology for waste management, can turn collection trucks into digital sentinels, gathering real-time data on bin fill levels and illegal dumping.

A snapshot of waste collection in Italy

Urban waste management in Italy is a complex and fragmented sector, involving more than 7,900 municipalities and hundreds of local companies or consortia. According to ISPRA data, the average cost of urban hygiene services per citizen often exceeds 200 euros per year, with significant differences between North and South. Of this amount, collection accounts for 60–70% of the total cost, a huge share considering that much of the routing is not optimized.

The lack of accurate data on volumes, fill levels, and quality of separate collection means route planning is often based on estimates or routine habits. This leads to paradoxical situations: trucks passing multiple times through low-waste areas, or densely populated zones where bins remain full for too long. Another critical issue is monitoring the quality of separate collection: without precise and up-to-date data, authorities cannot intervene promptly in areas where citizens dispose of waste incorrectly. The resulting risk is lower recycling rates and the failure to meet European Union environmental targets.

Hidden costs and environmental impacts

Every unnecessary kilometer driven by a waste collection truck has a real cost: fuel, vehicle wear, labor hours, and CO₂ emissions. A “blind” system that ignores real-time information not only wastes public resources but also contributes to increasing the overall environmental impact of waste collection. At a time when ecological transition is central to the European agenda, ignoring the potential of data means falling behind.

In some Italian municipalities where NANDO solutions have already been implemented, truck routes have been optimized, reducing up to 30% of mileage. This has also led to significant reductions in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.

Data and Artificial Intelligence: a game-changing opportunity

The good news is that technology now offers concrete tools to overcome these limitations. Our solution was designed exactly for this purpose. Among the sectors where our solutions are applied is urban collection, both with trucks and manual collection directly from street bins. We can transform collection trucks into digital sentinels capable of collecting and analyzing real-time data.

With Artificial Intelligence, NANDO turns each vehicle into a mobile sensor. By analyzing data on fill levels, quality, and quantity of waste in advance, it can estimate optimized collection routes. It also detects illegal dumping near bins, allowing operators to intervene in critical areas or implement educational programs for citizens.

All this information is aggregated in a dashboard. The result? A dynamic, real-time map of the city based on collected data: the Waste City Map.

Municipalities and companies that adopt NANDO can:

• Optimize collection routes, reducing unnecessary trips in low-volume areas and focusing resources where they are truly needed.
• Improve recycling quality, identifying areas with incorrect disposal, launching targeted awareness campaigns, and monitoring results over time.
• Detect illegal dumping, as the system automatically flags critical points and supports rapid, localized interventions.

All this translates into significant economic savings, greater operational efficiency, and reduced environmental impact.

Towards smarter urban management

Adopting data-driven technologies is a decisive step toward building truly sustainable Smart Cities. In this scenario, waste collection is no longer just a mandatory service but becomes a strategic source of information. The goal is to improve urban planning, optimize resources, and promote responsible behavior.

But how to do it intelligently and at scale? This is where NANDO fits perfectly. With a flexible approach, requiring no additional infrastructure, we leverage what already exists: the trucks in circulation every day.

The real cost of “missing data”

Ignoring data means wasting resources. Every unnecessary kilometer, every half-empty bin, every unreported dumping incident translates into lost time, money, and opportunities. It also means losing the chance to build a sustainability culture based on solid evidence, engaging citizens, companies, and institutions.

🎥 Discover how cities are already transforming waste management with NANDO. Listen to Giovanni Lucifora, Co-founder & Business Development Manager at NANDO on our LinkedIn channel.

Don’t miss out: follow our LinkedIn page for the latest news.

Take the next step: speak with one of our Sustainability Experts.

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We are thrilled to welcome Benjamin Pace, Sales Manager at Bywaters, as a new NANDO Ambassador! Bywaters, one of the leading UK companies in waste management, was facing a common challenge: managing waste efficiently while staying committed to ambitious sustainability goals.

Founded in 1952, Bywaters is not only a leader in the waste sector but also a visionary partner dedicated to the transition towards a circular economy. Moreover, the collaboration with NANDO aims not only to improve internal operational efficiency but also to create a tangible, measurable impact for both businesses and the environment.

Why waste management is becoming increasingly strategic in the UK

The UK waste management sector, valued at around £30 billion, is undergoing a profound transformation. Companies must adapt to new circular economy models. In addition, they will need to drastically reduce landfill disposal by 2035 and increase recycling rates.

Specifically, starting in 2025, new regulations will require all businesses with more than ten employees to properly separate recyclable, organic, and residual waste. Additionally, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme will hold producers and importers accountable for the entire lifecycle of packaging. At the same time, rising landfill and incineration taxes are pushing companies and municipalities to seek digital and sustainable solutions.

Despite these advances, the sector still faces significant challenges, including rising operational costs, low recycling rates, and the need to digitalize waste monitoring. As a result, interest in innovative technologies based on artificial intelligence, smart sensors, and data analytics systems is growing.

The advantage of NANDO’s artificial intelligence

Fortunately, NANDO simplifies and optimizes waste management through innovative tools:

• NANDO Eye: scans any object in real time, instantly indicating the correct disposal stream for fast, error-free recycling.

• NANDO Sensor: plug-and-play, it monitors data, generates professional reports, and makes sustainable behavior more engaging and gamified.

• NANDO App: identifies objects with a simple photo, optimizing recycling even on the go.

Together, these tools provide Bywaters with precision, insights, and simplicity, transforming every container into a strategic resource for intelligent waste management.

Turning waste into value

Bywaters shows that waste does not have to be just a cost—it can become a true strategic asset. Thanks to the data collected by NANDO AI and the real-time dashboard, Bywaters is able to:

• Improve the behavior of its community

• Optimize the quality of recycling

• Monitor and enhance operational targets

Furthermore, the NANDO-Bywaters partnership is not just about technology but also about tangible, sustainable impacts. The integration of NANDO AI with Bywaters’ field expertise enables:

• Smarter waste management in offices, stores, and industrial facilities

• Measurable sustainability improvements

• The transformation of waste management from a support activity to a competitive and strategic advantage

With Benjamin Pace at the forefront, Bywaters demonstrates that a data-driven, intelligent approach represents the future, inspiring teams and clients to embrace the principles of the circular economy.

Join the NANDO Community

Becoming part of the NANDO Community means joining a network of professionals and organizations that choose NANDO: a practical, data-driven, results-oriented approach.

🎥 Watch Benjamin Pace’s introduction video and discover how Bywaters is revolutionizing waste management on our LinkedIn channel.

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Take the next step: speak with one of our Sustainability Experts.

The post Bywaters and NANDO: Innovation in Waste Management appeared first on NANDO.

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We are excited to announce that NANDO has been featured on Torino Cronaca and GreenMe, thanks to our selection among the 11 companies in the new ClimateTech cohort of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator. Indeed, this program supports innovative technologies with a tangible climate impact, and our project was recognized for precisely this reason: its ability to transform waste monitoring.

Our Vision: AI and Innovation in Waste Collection

NANDO’s selection in Amazon’s program for AI-powered waste collection confirms our vision. Traditionally, waste collection has been a slow and manual process. However, artificial intelligence can revolutionize it. With AI, waste data is collected in real time. As a result, this enables measurable insights, optimized routes, reduced costs, and increased environmental sustainability.

NANDO on Torino Cronaca and GreenMe: The Project Highlighted by the Media

Both articles emphasize how NANDO is bringing innovation to cities, making waste management more efficient and technological. Furthermore, media coverage on Torino Cronaca and GreenMe demonstrates that smart and sustainable solutions are becoming increasingly central to the urban future. In fact, our technology transforms traditional bins into smart devices, improving recycling and, at the same time, providing valuable data to local administrations.

A Step Towards Urban Sustainability

We thank Torino Cronaca and GreenMe for giving visibility to NANDO and our role in waste collection innovation. The growing attention to AI in waste management highlights how sustainability, efficiency, and technology can go hand in hand, creating smarter and more environmentally friendly cities.

Read the full articles here:

• Torino Cronaca: https://torinocronaca.it/news/torino/554000/a-torino-l-ai-aiuta-la-differenziata-ecco-nando-la-start-up-scelta-da-amazon.html

• GreenMe: https://www.greenme.it/esg/con-lia-i-bidoni-diventano-intelligenti-la-startup-italiana-nando-entra-nel-programma-di-amazon-per-il-clima/

Stay connected with us: Visit our LinkedIn Page to stay updated

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The post NANDO on Torino Cronaca and GreenMe: AI for Waste Monitoring appeared first on NANDO.