Halifax Regional Municipality is turning to technology to help combat its litter problem.
Coun. Tony Mancini said HRM is encouraging residents to download an app that will collect data on litter trends around the municipality.
The Litterati app, which HRM did not develop, allows users to photograph and tag litter. App users can geotag their location to help create a map of litterbug hotspots in the area.
The app’s artificial intelligence can categorize the type of debris and what it’s made of. In some cases it can detect the specific brand of discarded coffee cup or burger wrapper.
Mancini said as more people track litter in their communities, HRM can use the app’s data to identify areas that need cleanup and crack down on illegal dumping.
He said the municipality will use the data to make “major decisions” regarding litter and cleanup within HRM.
“We can map all of this information, identify where the problem areas are. We can go back and find the source, possibly, of where that litter is coming from,” he said.
Mancini said while HRM is responsible for keeping communities clean, individual actions also play a role.
“If we all do our share, we can get a lot done,” he said.
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