A method comprises emitting detection radiation into a container; receiving a reflection of the emitted radiation from contents of the container; interpreting the received reflection to determine the contents of the container.

A sanitary product disposal container includes a container housing having a movable housing top cover, a movable housing bottom cover, and a sensor. A cover actuating mechanism may operably engage the housing top cover to actuate the housing top cover between open and closed positions. The sensor may operably interface with the cover actuating mechanism to facilitate deployment of the housing top cover between the open and closed positions responsive to sensing the presence of a person in proximity to the container housing. Accordingly, a used feminine hygiene product may be placed in the interior space of the container housing in the open position of the housing top cover without having to touch the container housing in order to open the housing top cover. The housing bottom cover may be selectively opened to facilitate removal of the used feminine hygiene products from the interior space.

An example system for deployment of a compacting head in a waste compartment includes an eutectic alloy fusible link positioned within a waste compartment that breaks at or above a predetermined temperature, a spring tensioned deploy lever that is deployed based on a break of the eutectic alloy fusible link, a pivotal joint assembly that collapses based on deployment of the deploy lever, and a compacting head of a trash compactor that is deployed to compact contents of the waste compartment based on collapse of the pivotal joint assembly.

A waste management system comprises a waste bin storing waste, wherein the waste bin comprises a smart waste bin sensor device installed on the waste bin of a waste bin owner. The smart waste bin sensor device comprises a set of sensors that sends and receives signals through a wireless network to a cloud server. The set of sensors implements, operates, detects, measures, and monitors environmental conditions inside or outside the waste bin. A waste and litter sensor detects, measures, and monitors a waste type, a waste volume, a litter type, a litter level, a biohazardous waste type, and a biohazardous waste level. A pathogen biosensor detects, measures, and monitors a pathogen type and a biosafety level. The pathogen biosensor comprises a sterilizer to kill pathogens. A waste bin mobile application and a waste collection facility application functionality enable a user to monitor waste in the waste bin.

A waste bin management unit manages identification information of a waste bin and identification information and a disposal date of the medical device that has been disposed of in the waste bin in association with each other. The waste bin management unit sets a scheduled date for collecting the waste bin based on at least either one of the number of medical devices that have been disposed of in the waste bin and the disposal date.

A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle as well as a hopper. A method of using the storage receptacle can include receiving a force on a hopper handle of a hopper of a storage receptacle, the hopper having a cable connection point connected to a cable, based on the force, rotating the hopper to enable a user to place material in a storage bin of the storage receptacle, wherein the rotating causes the cable to have slack and preventing the cable having the slack from coming out of a groove in a pulley via a shroud positioned over at least a portion of the pulley.

The present invention discloses a load collecting device comprising: a case having an input port formed on one side thereof into which a load is put; a collecting unit disposed inside the case, and having an open top and an accommodation space which accommodates the load; an input unit arranged adjacent to the input port in the case, selectively rotating to open the input port, and transferring the load to the collecting unit; a pressing unit disposed on the top of the collecting unit, and of which at least a part of selectively lowers to pressurize the load accommodated in the collecting unit; and a sensing control unit sensing a load amount of the load accommodated in the collecting unit and controlling the pressing unit so as to selectively press the load.

A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle. The pedal can rotate downward when pressure is applied in order to pull on a first cable coupled to the pedal. The first cable is connected to a spring, and the spring is connected to a second cable. The second cable connects the spring to a door via an upper pulley of the receptacle. The second cable causes the door to open when the second cable is pulled based on force applied to the pedal. A bottom pulley can be coupled to the pedal via the first cable and configured to translate an upward pull of the first cable to a downward pull of the spring and second cable. The spring controls the motion of the door such that the door does not open too quickly upon a force being applied to the pedal.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling electrically-powered trash receptacles and monitoring fullness levels. The system can include a storage enclosure and a bin contained inside the storage enclosure, the bin configured to receive and store items deposited in the storage enclosure, wherein an inside portion of the bin is at least partially covered by a bag placed inside the bin to hold the items deposited in the storage enclosure. The system can also include a sensor configured to sense a content fullness state of the bin and a processor configured to control operations performed by the sensor. In addition, the system can include a sleeve configured to be installed over an inside portion of the bin and the bag, the sleeve at least partially restricting a movement of the bag.

Disclosed is a method for identifying location of a first container within a group of containers. Each container has an identification code and includes a sensor unit. The sensor unit includes communication means and a movement detector. The method includes at least a first sensor unit of the first container transmitting a first message including a first identification code of the first container, and at least one communication module receiving the first message. The at least one communication module analyzes the received first message, compares the received first identification code to a list of stored identification codes, updates the list of stored identification codes by addition of the first identification code when the first identification code is absent from the list, and transmits a second message to a server, the second message including the first identification code for the server to update the location of the first container.