labs@atheron:~/industries/waste-recycling$ collect --routes --rfid --scale --divert

Waste software

Every lift and every tonne, from curb to end market.

Today your pickups are proved by a driver's word, your loads by a paper scale ticket and your diversion by a spreadsheet at year end. We build the systems that record each step as it happens: routes and an in-cab app, tagged carts, scales that feed billing and a record of where the material went.

Start a project See the example projects

// what you are up against

The problems we hear most.

Routes planned from memory

Routes are set by the senior drivers, changes are handed out on paper, and a new driver spends a week learning a route the system could show them.

Missed pickups argued by phone

A resident says the cart was out, the driver says it was not, and the customer service team has nothing but the two stories.

Scale tickets on paper

Tonnages are written at the scale house and typed into billing later, and a disputed ticket means a search through a box of carbon copies.

Diversion figures at year end

Diversion and landfill reports for councils, provinces and producer programs are assembled once a year from scale data, hauler reports and estimates.

// example projects

Systems we could build for you.

Each one is hypothetical, labelled as such, and priced live from our rate card. Open any of them in the estimator and make it yours.

Example projectWeb appMobile app

Routes with an in-cab app

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A private hauler plans its routes on paper, cannot prove a missed pickup either way, and finds out about overflowing bins from angry calls.

// What we would build

Route planning for the dispatch office and an Android app on in-cab tablets that guides drivers stop by stop, records each service with GPS and a photo when needed, logs blocked or contaminated bins, and sends exceptions back to dispatch in real time.

// What is in it

Routes planned and balanced by the office, with changes pushed to the cab
Stop-by-stop guidance on an in-cab tablet, with GPS on every truck
Service confirmed by location and time, with photos of blocked or overflowing bins
Exceptions sent to dispatch and customer service as they happen
GPS trackers listed by quantity, with monthly data costs shown

// Stack

Next.js
Kotlin for Android
PostgreSQL with PostGIS
Routing engine
AWS

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$104,000 to US$159,000, delivered within 25 weeksCAD 148,300 to 226,800
Hosting: ≈ US$492 a monthCAD 700 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month
Hardware: ≈ US$9,190CAD 13,090

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 3.5 to 4 weeks
Design approved: 5 to 8.5 weeks
Core features: 2.5 to 3.5 weeks
Full build: 1.5 to 2.5 weeks
First build on devices: 3.5 to 5.5 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.5 to 1 weeks
Store submission: 1 to 2 weeks
Launch: 1 to 2 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

App store review: 1 week
Hardware delivery, after it is ordered: 2 to 6 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 29,660 to 45,360
Discovery 9.1%: CAD 13,495.30 to 20,638.80
Design approved 9.1%: CAD 13,495.30 to 20,638.80
Core features 9.2%: CAD 13,643.60 to 20,865.60
Full build 6.1%: CAD 9,046.30 to 13,834.80
First build on devices 18%: CAD 26,694 to 40,824
Testing and fixes 3%: CAD 4,449 to 6,804
Store submission 6%: CAD 8,898 to 13,608
Launch 9.5%: CAD 14,088.50 to 21,546.00
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 14,830 to 22,680
Battery GPS tracker x 40: CAD 13,090. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appMaterials tracking

RFID cart program

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A municipality delivers tens of thousands of carts, cannot say which cart is at which address, and handles missed pickup complaints without any record of the lift.

// What we would build

UHF RFID tags on every cart, readers and an edge gateway on each truck that record every lift with the time and location, a cart inventory by address, and customer service screens that show the lift history when a resident calls.

// What is in it

An RFID tag on every cart, tied to an address at delivery
Truck-mounted readers and an edge gateway recording every lift
Lift history by address for customer service, in English and French
Cart inventory, swaps and repairs tracked by tag
Installation of the truck readers by a local contractor, shown as an indicative range

// Stack

UHF RFID (EPC Gen2)
Edge gateways on trucks
Next.js
PostgreSQL with PostGIS
AWS

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$132,000 to US$202,000, delivered within 32 weeksCAD 188,500 to 288,200
Hosting: ≈ US$772 a monthCAD 1,100 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month
Hardware: ≈ US$76,900CAD 109,490

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Discovery and site walk-through: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 3.9 to 6.4 weeks
Core features: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Stock, receiving and transfers: 2.9 to 4.9 weeks
Tracking and devices working: 1.9 to 3.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 weeks
Pilot site live: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Report checked against a past period: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Site survey and installation: 0.5 to 1 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Rollout: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Hardware delivery, after it is ordered: 3 to 6 weeks
Site survey and installation by a local contractor: 2 to 6 weeks
Fleet GPS API access from your provider: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 37,700 to 57,640
Discovery 1.7%: CAD 3,204.50 to 4,899.40
Discovery and site walk-through 5%: CAD 9,425 to 14,410
Design approved 6.8%: CAD 12,818.00 to 19,597.60
Core features 5.1%: CAD 9,613.50 to 14,698.20
Full build 3.4%: CAD 6,409.00 to 9,798.80
Stock, receiving and transfers 15.2%: CAD 28,652.00 to 43,806.40
Tracking and devices working 10.1%: CAD 19,038.50 to 29,108.20
Testing and fixes 1.7%: CAD 3,204.50 to 4,899.40
Pilot site live 5%: CAD 9,425 to 14,410
Report checked against a past period 8.7%: CAD 16,399.50 to 25,073.40
Launch 1.7%: CAD 3,204.50 to 4,899.40
Rollout 5.6%: CAD 10,556.00 to 16,139.20
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 18,850 to 28,820
Fixed UHF RFID reader x 20: CAD 54,020. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
UHF RFID tags, 1,000 x 60: CAD 30,100. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
Battery GPS tracker x 20: CAD 6,550. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
Cellular edge gateway x 20: CAD 9,730. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
Handheld UHF RFID reader x 2: CAD 7,420. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
UHF RFID development kit, for our build and testing: CAD 1,360. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
Cellular GPS development kit, for our build and testing: CAD 310. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones

Start from this example

Example projectWeb app

Scale house and billing

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A transfer station writes scale tickets by hand, types them into billing later, and its commercial customers wait weeks for invoices they then dispute.

// What we would build

A scale house app that reads the scale indicator directly, prints and stores tickets, applies each customer's rates by material, and posts invoices and payments to QuickBooks Online, built on the QuickBooks Online API, with a portal where customers see their tickets.

// What is in it

Weights read directly from the scale indicator, never typed
Tickets by customer, vehicle and material, printed and stored
Rates by customer and material, with tipping fees applied automatically
Invoices and payments synced both ways with QuickBooks Online
Tonnage by material for diversion and landfill reports

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
Scale indicator interface
QuickBooks Online API
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$97,700 to US$149,000, delivered within 24 weeksCAD 139,100 to 212,700
Hosting: ≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month
Hardware: ≈ US$2,950 to US$6,460CAD 4,200 to 9,200

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Data mapping and sandbox connection: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 3.4 to 5.9 weeks
Core features: 1.9 to 3.4 weeks
Full build: 1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Sync built and reconciled in sandbox: 2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 to 0.9 weeks
Report checked against a past period: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Live cutover: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Hypercare: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Hardware delivery, after it is ordered: 2 to 6 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 27,820 to 42,540
Discovery 3.4%: CAD 4,729.40 to 7,231.80
Data mapping and sandbox connection 5%: CAD 6,955 to 10,635
Design approved 3.4%: CAD 4,729.40 to 7,231.80
Core features 10.3%: CAD 14,327.30 to 21,908.10
Full build 6.8%: CAD 9,458.80 to 14,463.60
Sync built and reconciled in sandbox 15.1%: CAD 21,004.10 to 32,117.70
Testing and fixes 3.4%: CAD 4,729.40 to 7,231.80
Report checked against a past period 8.7%: CAD 12,101.70 to 18,504.90
Launch 3.4%: CAD 4,729.40 to 7,231.80
Live cutover 5%: CAD 6,955 to 10,635
Hypercare 5.5%: CAD 7,650.50 to 11,698.50
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 13,910 to 21,270
Entry server x 1: CAD 4,200 to 9,200. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appAICustom LLM

Contamination model on trucks

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A recycling program loses loads to contamination, but cannot tell which routes or addresses are causing it, so education goes everywhere and changes nothing.

// What we would build

A custom vision model, fine-tuned on the program's own hopper camera images, that flags likely contamination as each cart is tipped, tied to the cart's RFID lift record, so the program can send targeted notices to the addresses that need them.

// What is in it

Hopper camera images captured at each lift
Likely contamination flagged by type, for a reviewer to check
Flags tied to the address through the cart's RFID lift record
Targeted notices and follow-up for repeat addresses
A model fine-tuned on your images and measured on a held-out set

// Stack

PyTorch
ONNX Runtime
Python
Next.js
AWS GPU instances

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$168,000 to US$257,000, delivered within 41 weeksCAD 239,900 to 366,300
Hosting: ≈ US$7,020 a monthCAD 10,000 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

AI route: Custom LLM
Model running cost: ≈ US$6,530 a monthCAD 9,300 a month

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Data and evaluation plan: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.4 to 4.4 weeks
Core features: 1.9 to 3.4 weeks
Full build: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Training: 8.9 to 15.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 weeks
Evaluation and red-teaming: 3.9 to 4.4 weeks
Report checked against a past period: 3.9 to 4.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Production: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Truck readers and cart tags delivery: 2 to 6 weeks
Fleet GPS API access from your provider: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 47,740 to 73,020
Discovery 1.1%: CAD 2,625.70 to 4,016.10
Data and evaluation plan 7.2%: CAD 17,186.40 to 26,287.20
Design approved 1.1%: CAD 2,625.70 to 4,016.10
Core features 3.5%: CAD 8,354.50 to 12,778.50
Full build 2.3%: CAD 5,490.10 to 8,397.30
Training 21.7%: CAD 51,797.90 to 79,226.70
Testing and fixes 1.1%: CAD 2,625.70 to 4,016.10
Evaluation and red-teaming 14.4%: CAD 34,372.80 to 52,574.40
Report checked against a past period 8.7%: CAD 20,766.90 to 31,763.70
Launch 1.1%: CAD 2,625.70 to 4,016.10
Production 7.8%: CAD 18,618.60 to 28,477.80
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 23,870 to 36,510
GPU time for training and testing, at cost: CAD 1,200. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appBlockchain

Shared material tracking

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A producer responsibility program relies on collectors, processors and end markets to report the tonnes they handle, each in its own format, and reconciling them takes months.

// What we would build

A shared record of tonnes moved from collector to processor to end market, recorded on a private permissioned ledger that the program and its main processors each run a node of, fed from scale data, so the program's report starts from one record. If the program's own database is trusted by all, it is cheaper, and we will say so.

// What is in it

Shipments recorded by each party with weights from scale data
Receipts matched to shipments at each step, with differences flagged
A node for the program and each main processor, a portal for smaller collectors
Reports by material, region and end market, in English and French
Supporting documents fingerprinted on the ledger

// Stack

Next.js
Hyperledger Besu (private, permissioned)
PostgreSQL
Scale house software integration
AWS

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$116,000 to US$178,000, delivered within 27 weeksCAD 165,300 to 252,800
Hosting: ≈ US$492 a monthCAD 700 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Architecture: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.9 to 5.4 weeks
Core features: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Devnet: 2.9 to 4.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 weeks
Testnet: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Report checked against a past period: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Mainnet: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Scale software access from your vendor: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 33,060 to 50,560
Discovery 2.2%: CAD 3,636.60 to 5,561.60
Architecture 5.9%: CAD 9,752.70 to 14,915.20
Design approved 2.2%: CAD 3,636.60 to 5,561.60
Core features 6.6%: CAD 10,909.80 to 16,684.80
Full build 4.4%: CAD 7,273.20 to 11,123.20
Devnet 17.7%: CAD 29,258.10 to 44,745.60
Testing and fixes 2.2%: CAD 3,636.60 to 5,561.60
Testnet 11.8%: CAD 19,505.40 to 29,830.40
Report checked against a past period 8.7%: CAD 14,381.10 to 21,993.60
Launch 2.2%: CAD 3,636.60 to 5,561.60
Mainnet 6.1%: CAD 10,083.30 to 15,420.80
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 16,530 to 25,280

Start from this example

Example projectWeb app

Diversion and tonnage reporting

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A hauler's municipal and commercial customers want diversion figures each quarter, and staff build them from scale tickets, route records and processor statements in spreadsheets.

// What we would build

A reporting store that joins scale tickets, routes and processor statements every night, calculates tonnage and diversion by customer, material and site with documented rules, and produces each customer's quarterly report from the same data.

// What is in it

Scale, route and processor data joined every night
Tonnage and diversion by customer, material and site
Calculation rules documented and versioned
Quarterly customer reports from the same data

// Stack

PostgreSQL
dbt
Apache Superset
Python
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$43,500 to US$66,600, delivered within 14 weeksCAD 62,000 to 94,900
Hosting: ≈ US$344 a monthCAD 490 a month
Support: ≈ US$1,000 a monthCAD 1,425 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.4 to 3.4 weeks
Core features: 1.9 to 2.9 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.9 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Tablets and GPS trackers delivery: 2 to 6 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 30%: CAD 18,600 to 28,470
Discovery 6.6%: CAD 4,092.00 to 6,263.40
Design approved 6.6%: CAD 4,092.00 to 6,263.40
Core features 20%: CAD 12,400 to 18,980
Full build 13.3%: CAD 8,246.00 to 12,621.70
Testing and fixes 6.6%: CAD 4,092.00 to 6,263.40
Launch 6.9%: CAD 4,278.00 to 6,548.10
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 6,200 to 9,490

Start from this example

// by service

Go deeper on one kind of work.

Pages for the services we have the most to say about in this industry.

~/apps

Collection apps

Route planning with in-cab driver apps, RFID cart programs with lift records, and scale house systems that read the indicator and sync billing with QuickBooks Online.

~/ai

AI for recycling

A custom vision model fine-tuned on your own hopper camera images that flags likely contamination at each lift, tied to the address through the cart's RFID record.

~/chains

Material ledger

Tonnes moved from collectors to processors to end markets recorded on a private permissioned ledger shared by a producer program and its processors, fed from scale data.

// questions

What buyers in this industry ask us.

Do you work with haulers outside British Columbia?

Yes. We work with clients anywhere; prices are in Canadian dollars.

Can you supply RFID tags, readers and GPS trackers?

Yes, as a pass-through listed by quantity in the estimate, with installation shown as an indicative range, or you can buy them directly.

How do payments work?

A deposit to start, then payments at agreed milestones, with 10% held until 30 days after launch. The deposit is a smaller share on larger projects.

Who owns the software and the models?

You do, once the work is paid for, including models trained on your camera images.

// other industries

Nearby industries.

~/municipalities

Municipalities

Permits, inspections and bylaw enforcement, 311 service requests with an assistant, resident accounts for utility bills and recreation, council meetings and shared regional cost records.

See the examples

~/logistics

Logistics

Dispatch boards and driver apps, booking agents for the inbox, shared bills of lading on a private ledger and load bots.

See the examples

~/carbon-esg

Carbon markets and ESG

Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions platforms, supplier data portals, agents that read your bills, MRV field apps and tokenised credit retirement.

See the examples

All industries

// where we work

Find your market.

We work from Kelowna with clients across Canada, the United States and further afield. Each market page covers working hours, hosting, the privacy law that applies, and prices in your currency.

Every market

// next

Not quite your project?

Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you with a range and the questions that would narrow it. Or book a call and talk it through.

Start a project Book a call