Dive Brief:

• In a competition hosted by the University of Michigan, a team of University of Maryland students, calling themselves GreenCan, took home first prize for a single-stream trash bin they fabricated.

• The bin they designed automatically separates waste and recyclables into two bins according to the sound the trash makes when it is thrown into the receptacle.

• The concept was born out of the trio noticing a large amount of recyclables ending up in trash cans, even if recycling bins were nearby.

Dive Insight:

Although the majority of the 1,214 people entering the competition created apps or web tools, the winning team's entry made it into the champion's circle, illustrating that there is a need for more solutions in the waste and recycling industry using innovation and technology to continue propelling it forward.