Inspiration: We were interested in creating something related to urban sustainability so while we were researching different ideas, we were discussing how to handle waste and locate bins easily. This idea was built on that.
What it does: WasteWise uses OpenStreetMap data and Mapbox to show real bin locations near you in seconds. Users can also report overflowing or missing bins, helping cities identify where waste infrastructure needs improvement. Our goal is to reduce litter, improve recycling compliance, and make our public spaces cleaner and more sustainable, one smart bin at a time.
How we built it: We built WasteWise as a full-stack web application using Next.js (TypeScript + Tailwind CSS) for the frontend and AWS for the backend. We divided our tasks so that one person works on the map and the other sets up AWS DynamoDB and the reports page. We used Mapbox and OpenStreetMap data to visualize real bin locations and provide an interactive, map-based experience. And then for our backend, we ran it entirely on AWS. We used AWS Lambda for serverless functions, DynamoDB to store bin and report data. And the frontend communicates with the backend through API Gateway, allowing users to submit and retrieve data securely.
Challenges we ran into: We struggled with using the OpenStreetMap data and setting up AWS since these were things we were unfamiliar with. We never used a map API before or set up AWS, so it was a bit or a learning curve for us and ended up taking a lot of time.
Accomplishments that we're proud of:
- We're proud of being able to set our backend in AWS using AWS API Gateway to a Lambda function, which stores the report inside DynamoDB.
- We're proud of our map feature and of successfully integrating OpenStreetMap and Mapbox data into it.
What we learned: Hackathons are fun but they make you really tired
What's next for X7CT - NewBeez - WasteWise: We'd like to continue to build on our app and add route navigation to the nearest bin. Use Cognito to sign in and sign up successfully. And add AI photo recognition for reports.
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