Unlock the potential in waste with metroKEY
We want you to think for a moment about the 94% of food waste from apartments that is still getting thrown in the trash – waste that could be providing valuable nutrients for crops as well as generating electricity. Did you know, for example, that the average weekly quantity of food waste from one household could power nearly two cycles of their washing machine?
Then there is the 76% of dry recyclables – glass, aluminum, plastics, paper, and cardboard – that are going the same way, adding to our carbon emissions instead of being made into new packaging, the batteries that are causing fires and increasing harmful mining practices in many countries, not to mention textiles and other household items that could be reused.
So why are we not capturing more of these materials, particularly from apartments? First of all, there has to be a collection service in place, and it is extremely encouraging to see cities all over the world striving to extend this basic requirement to every property, including the many apartment buildings, or at least to a nearby drop-off point.
Communal properties are, of course, inherently challenged by lack of space and accountability, so right away we know that we need massive changes in resident disposal behavior, and what we have found is that this always comes down to three things – knowledge, ease, and motivation.
More people know now that putting food in the trash bin increases emissions, but this knowledge on its own is rarely enough – we have to make it easy for them by providing in-kitchen caddies, liners, and convenient drop-off points where residents regularly walk, and in many cases this will, by virtue of its public-facing nature, require a secure enclosure.
Having done this, we then need to provide motivation for residents not only to use them, but also to use them correctly, i.e. not contaminating them with non-food items. So we need to communicate well, elaborating on the benefits, such as cleaner buildings and a better future for our kids, and define acceptable materials using easily understandable graphics.
This can be done with flyers and door-to-door outreach, but it also needs continual reinforcement in a fun, engaging way over time as people change and lives get ever busier. They need reminders of what to do and why it is important, they need to see that others are doing it too – something called social norming – as well as feedback on how they are doing themselves.
And this is where the metroKEY user platform comes in, to help you create an engaged community of drop-off recyclers, who can easily see on live mapping where to take whatever items they have that are surplus to requirements, and can do so quickly and easily, at any time of day or night.
Coming soon: metroKEY will give users instant feedback on the environmental impact of their recycling, such as how much carbon emissions they have reduced and how their efforts compare with community targets. Where Extended Producer Responsibility or beverage packaging rebates apply, these will also be able to be credited to user accounts for spending in local stores.
metroKEY is available to download on both Android and iOS systems, allowing users to create their own account through a standard two-step verification and password set-up on their smartphone.
Once logged in, access to a unit is granted once the one-time “tick box” user agreement has been accepted. This feature means that administrator intervention is not required at the point of access, although within the metroKEY web portal administrators can grant or revoke access as necessary.
At the heart of metroKEY is its web-based portal, with clear graphics and an intuitive layout for straightforward administration of access to recycling and waste drop-off points. Here administrators can add or remove residents from their registered latches, check latch battery status, review “report a problem” requests, and view or export access history for further evaluation.
Designed for low-energy operation, metroKEY does not use a modem connection. Instead, the app communicates via mobile phone technology with the web portal. Initial unit locations are plotted manually within the portal and identified via the BLE address.
metroKEY can be integrated with smart bin fill sensors, enabling administrators to optimize collections by remotely monitoring fill levels across their network of drop-off facilities. This ensures bins are serviced only when required, reducing unnecessary vehicle movements and improving collection efficiency.
Administrators receive an automatic email alert when a fill sensor reaches a customizable threshold, which can be adjusted to suit local service requirements. This flexibility allows collection schedules to be tailored for maximum efficiency and minimal disruption.
For residents, the metroKEY smartphone app shows live fill levels, helping them avoid depositing waste in units that are nearly full and locate the nearest available bin instead.
metroKEY is also a communication tool, providing valuable information both to and from the organization. Within the portal, the interface can be configured with custom messaging, waste stream illustrations, and brand colors. Administrators can also adjust the time the unit remains unlocked and select from different reporting options. The user interface can be personalized with a “my profile” section.
Future capabilities: metroKEY is being developed to reinforce positive recycling behavior even further, with features such as reminders, community progress updates, and feedback on the environmental impact of residents’ actions. These enhancements are designed to support long-term engagement and motivate correct use of facilities.
Making recycling as straightforward as trash disposal requires quick and simple access to secure drop-off points. Once signed in, the metroKEY app opens the latch via an illustrated pop-up banner with a simple yes/no tick box when the user is within Bluetooth range.
This avoids delays waiting for administrator approval and ensures residents can deposit materials safely and conveniently, reducing the risk of side waste building up.
The administrator panel shows the latch status of each unit, whether it is open or closed, locked or unlocked, and the time since the BLE controller batteries were last changed. Administrators can also view access history for each unit, including the user and time of entry.
This information can be exported for further analysis and reporting, helping to monitor usage patterns and ensure effective service delivery.
Future capabilities: metroKEY is being expanded to provide wider insights, including community recycling performance, avoided carbon emissions, and progress against local targets.
On the metroKEY user interface, the “report a problem” button can be customized as required, with standard drop-down options such as bin full, bin requires cleaning, or unit damaged. Notifications are sent to administrators via the portal for action.
Delivering genuine circularity in our urban environments requires innovation and commitment. The combination of metroSTOR enclosures and metroKEY app control supports increased diversion of food waste and other recyclable materials, helping to reduce contamination and build a cleaner, lower-carbon future.
Screens depicted are illustrative and may differ from the live metroKEY app and admin panel.