Waste Lens™ App

Eco-Activators

Waste Lens™ App

Waste Lens™, an AI-native app, builds zero-waste, resilient citizens and cities.

Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

USA

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

We’re in a global waste crisis. Over 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated annually, projected to exceed 3.4 billion by 2050. The global cost of waste management was estimated at $252 billion USD in 2020. Waste is growing out of control, faster than the population itself and contributes significantly to climate change. Yet, it’s a solvable driver. Most individuals don’t think twice about tossing out a spoiled bag of lettuce, yet none of it should be landfill-bound. These daily decisions, multiplied by billions, are driving the climate crisis. Food waste, nearly 40% of landfill volume, is a major methane gas source, and single-use plastics are a top carbon emitter. Both are harming every living thing. Current solutions aren’t working because they focus on generalized education, not real-time guidance or just move and manage waste instead of diverting it at the source into the correct circular streams. When done right, experts estimate 90% of MSW could be repurposed in the circular economy, flipping the script on pollution, greenhouse gases, and rising costs. These disposal moments are critical to achieving 2030 goals and 2050 zero-waste ambitions. This is what we solve for.

Waste Lens™ app is an AI-native climate tech designed to address waste at its source, individuals, by preventing or diverting it away from landfills into correct circular streams. How it works: 1. Individuals snap a photo, at the time of disposal, of their trash 2. Receive real-time guidance for each item in the photo — food, plastic, batteries, or other items — based on local municipal rules 3. This data flows into our Activate Hub™, which focuses on turning intention into measurable action (activation). Our Waste Lens™ app captures follow-through, calculates impact, and suggests future prevention and diversion steps based on habits, including zero-waste swaps or composting services. A modern gamified experience, personalized incentives, and meaningful rewards drive behavior change with ease. Designed to work anywhere—at home, work, events, or while traveling—Waste Lens™ is built on a dedicated instance of Google Vision AI, layered with our partner and rewards engine, geo-based rules, and local services. Our ubiquitous climate tech app premise: Build Once. Flex Everywhere. For municipalities and other usage licensees, a program dashboard offers insights into engagement and diversion trends. The Waste Lens App is our solution to accelerating zero-waste adoption.

Our go-to-market model serves municipalities and entities that need to prevent, reduce, or divert trash that is being improperly discarded or sent to landfills. For example, Horry County Solid Waste Authority, in South Carolina, currently receives 500 trucks daily at the landfill, compared to just 30 at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). During my recent site visits, leaders told me they want to flip this script. Waste Lens™ is designed to help, providing municipal residents with real-time guidance at the moment of disposal and motivating follow-through with a personalized, gamified experience and the rewards engine we are building. Worldwide, municipalities using Waste Lens™ will achieve lower daily waste per capita, increased diversion into circular streams, and reduced contamination, results they haven’t been able to achieve through current avenues. Municipal leaders view outcomes via a Waste Lens™ program dashboard. Municipal users and future usage licensing users become the heroes of the global waste crisis. Waste Lens™ makes it easy to do the right thing, at home, on-the-go, or while on vacation. Early users report the experience feels intuitive and empowering, often saying they had no idea how easy it was to be zero-waste.