Košeca

Košeca is a village and municipality in Ilava District in the Trenčín Region of north-western Slovakia that has been struggling with the issue of inadequate waste disposal and the lack of motivation among residents to recycle their waste. A waste tracking system has been launched under the Smart Rural 27 initiative to monitor the amount and types of the produced waste.

• Internet of things (IoT)
• Big data
• Sensor

An Electronic Waste Registration System (ELWIS) has been established in the digital village that makes use of sensors, RFID chips and QR codes (https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/en/good-practices/elwis-electronic-waste-registration-system-more-responsible-approach-towards-waste-households). Every household is issued with a sticker with a QR code when they properly dispose of waste, and the waste containers are installed with chips that can be scanned by the smart watches issued to utility company workers. The collected data are then used to calculate the costs of waste removal.

• Rural communities
• Private sector
• Public sector
• Food consumers

Food consumers, residents and rural communities can benefit from the new waste management system, as the more they recycle, the less they are charged for waste disposal. The private and public sectors can benefit from the training provided to explain the new system and the benefits of more sustainable ways of life.

The application of the waste management system has led to a decline in the amount of unrecycled waste produced by Košeca, improving the way of life in the village, while responsible citizens have benefitted from lower bills. In this regard, the benefits to rural community have been both ecological and economic.

European Commission’s Horizon 2020

• Better environment

• 
  SDG 9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
• 
  SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
• 
  SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production
• 
  SDG 13: Climate action
• 
  SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals