Sorting garbage make you grouchy? Meet Sea-Tac’s new AI-powered garbage robot

SEA-TAC AIRPORT — Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has a new smelly team member. His name is Oscar, and he’s the new AI waste-sorting technology that will help visitors put their waste into the right bins.

When someone wants to throw an item away, they first show it to the camera for the system to analyze. Oscar then tells them which bin to use.

Six new Oscars are now in Seattle: Four are at the airport, one is at Bell Harbor Conference Center, and one is on Pier 66 in the Norwegian Cruise Lines Terminal.

The system is designed to educate people on proper waste sorting while keeping trash out of landfills.

“The Port of Seattle strives to reduce waste to landfills and we’re trying innovations like Oscar to build awareness among our customers and gather data on the types of waste we see at SEA and our maritime facilities,” said Port of Seattle Senior Director Environment and Sustainability Sandra Kilroy. “We know that individuals come to our gateways from all around the world and they might have different waste bins or rules, so Oscar will help inform them on how to sort here.

“At SEA, it supports our goal to divert 60% of terminal waste from landfills,” she continued.

Oscar has helped with over 3,000 disposals since the units’ installation at Sea-Tac on Thanksgiving Day. Officials say that a 43% successful sorting rate has been accomplished in the first month.

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