Electronic Waste Management Using Smart Contracts on the Blockchain Platform

Nowadays, electronic waste is no longer considered ordinary waste; instead, it is recognized as valuable and hazardous waste containing significant amounts of precious metals. Therefore, it should not be disposed of illegally in any location. Traditional processes for managing electronic waste may not be suitable for the industry's future needs due to environmental pollution, high costs, and low efficiency. Consequently, the management of electronic waste has become a necessity in today's world. This research focuses on utilizing smart contracts to establish stable and regular waste management processes and activities. The proposed method encompasses all steps involved in waste management, including collection, separation, routing, transportation, destruction, and recycling. These steps are managed within a blockchain platform and under a smart contract. To simulate and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, colored petri nets (CPNs) have been employed. The results demonstrate that the presented approach establishes a balanced situation in terms of reliability, response time, and availability parameters when providing services to customers within the context of a smart city. These results are achieved through various steps such as registration, authentication, interaction, routing, and checking the capacity of smart bins. The utilization of blockchain technology and smart contracts ensures transparency, efficiency, and accountability throughout the waste management process. The use of CPNs for simulation and evaluation further validates the effectiveness of the proposed method in achieving reliable and timely waste management services in a smart city environment.