Sortify

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Inspiration

The inspiration behind Sortify came from witnessing the growing waste management crisis in many African communities, where improper disposal contributes to pollution, climate change, and health hazards. Despite recycling programs, incentives for communities are missing, and trust in collection systems is low. Also being a DIY person, I often structured finding clean waste to carry out my projects "What if disposing of waste could be rewarding, transparent, and decentralized?" That question inspired Sortify — a Web3-enabled platform with IoT smart bins and token incentives to make waste disposal more engaging, verifiable, and sustainable.

What it does

Sortify is a smart waste management platform that combines Web3 incentives and IoT technology to make waste disposal transparent, rewarding, and sustainable. Smart Bins (future integration) detect, classify, and report waste using edge AI and IoT. Token Rewards (SORT) incentivize users to sort and report waste responsibly. Collectors & Verifiers ensure waste is picked up and verified before rewards are released. Recycling Marketplace lets recyclers purchase verified waste and earn NFTs for their contributions. Unlock Protocol provides role-based access (users, collectors, verifiers, recyclers) in a decentralized way. In short: Users dispose → Collectors collect → Verifiers confirm → Recyclers recycle → Everyone earns tokens.

How we built it

Smart Contracts SortifyToken.sol: ERC-20 token for rewards (SORT). WasteCollection.sol: Handles collection requests and token flow. Marketplace.sol: For recyclers to buy verified waste. Unlock Protocol integration for role-based access. Frontend (dApp) Built with Next.js, TailwindCSS, and OnchainKit. Integrated wallet connection (MetaMask, WalletConnect). Location-based waste reporting using Leaflet.js + geolocation API. IoT (Future Integration) Smart bins powered by ESP32-CAM running TFLite models for image classification of waste (plastic, glass, paper, etc.). Bins send fill-level + classification data to backend. Deployment Smart contracts deployed on Base Testnet. Frontend hosted on Vercel.

Challenges we ran into

Bridging Web2 and Web3: Not all users are familiar with wallets — we had to design hybrid flows. IoT Hardware Integration: Running ML inference on ESP32 with low power was tricky. Role Management: Ensuring collectors, recyclers, and verifiers interact smoothly without abuse required careful smart contract logic. Token Economics: Designing fair distribution - where tokens are split between users, collectors, and verifiers after successful verification. Scalability: Querying large amounts of data required considering The Graph or subgraph indexing. UX Design: Making blockchain interactions feel simple and engaging for everyday waste disposers.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

What we learned

Through the journey, we explored and learned: How to integrate Web3 smart contracts with real-world IoT devices (smart bins using ESP32 + edge AI). How Unlock Protocol can be leveraged for role-based memberships (collectors, recyclers, verifiers). How tokenomics design impacts user incentives — e.g., balancing rewards for users, collectors, and verifiers. How decentralized marketplaces can create new revenue streams for recyclers. That real-world adoption needs simplicity — not everyone has crypto wallets, so hybrid Web2/Web3 options are useful.

What's next for Sortify

Community Pilots – Launch small-scale pilots with local communities to test incentives and token flow. Smart Bin Prototype – Build and test the IoT-enabled bin using ESP32-CAM + TFLite models for waste classification. Recycling Marketplace Expansion – Enable recyclers to trade verified waste on-chain and earn recycling badges (NFTs). DAO Governance – Transition to community-driven governance where SORT token holders vote on incentives and improvements. Partnerships – Collaborate with municipalities, recycling companies, and climate-focused NGOs for scaling. Cross-Chain & Mobile – Expand beyond Base to other EVM chains, and build a mobile-first app for accessibility.

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