EU Initiatives
Littered cigarette butts is such a prevalent issue across countries that the EU has classified them as single-use plastics and covered them by the EU Single Use Plastics Directive (SUP) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). In practice, this means that from 2025, manufacturers will have to cover the cost of removal.
Labor Shortage
The current removal methods are cumbersome and require repetitive work – a challenge that is further magnified by the current labor shortage. Even though the costs can be invoiced to the manufacturer, it is difficult to recruit enough employees to perform the task due to the cumbersome removal methods and repetitive work.
Automation in Dynamic Environments
Large and dynamic city spaces make automation difficult, as most robots are created for repetitive and predictable routes in easy terrain. Shifting weather and lighting conditions demands robust sensor technology. Since pedestrian traffic on paved areas often relies on social norms rather than legislation, dynamic navigation for mobile robots can be highly challenging.