An integrated deep-learning model for smart waste classification.

Efficient waste management is essential for human well-being and environmental health, as neglecting proper disposal practices can lead to financial losses and the depletion of natural resources. Given the rapid urbanization and population growth, developing an automated, innovative waste classification model becomes imperative. To address this need, our paper introduces a novel and robust solution - a smart waste classification model that leverages a hybrid deep learning model (Optimized DenseNet-121 + SVM) to categorize waste items using the TrashNet datasets. Our proposed approach uses the advanced deep learning model DenseNet-121, optimized for superior performance, to extract meaningful features from an expanded TrashNet dataset. These features are subsequently fed into a support vector machine (SVM) for precise classification. Employing data augmentation techniques further enhances classification accuracy while mitigating the risk of overfitting, especially when working with limited TrashNet data. The results of our experimental evaluation of this hybrid deep learning model are highly promising, with an impressive accuracy rate of 99.84%. This accuracy surpasses similar existing models, affirming the efficacy and potential of our approach to revolutionizing waste classification for a sustainable and cleaner future.