A Systematic Review of AI-Based Techniques for Automated Waste Classification

Waste classification is a critical step in waste management that is time-consuming and necessitates automation to replace traditional approaches. Recently, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have gained attention from researchers seeking to automate waste classification by providing alternative computational techniques to address various waste-related challenges. Significant research on waste classification has emerged in recent years, reflecting the growing focus on this domain. This systematic literature review (SLR) explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), in automating waste classification. Using Kitchenham’s and PRISMA guidelines, we analyze over 97 studies, categorizing AI-based techniques into ML-based, DL-based, and hybrid models. We further present an in-depth review of over fifteen publicly available waste classification datasets, highlighting key limitations such as dataset imbalance, real-world variability, and standardization issues. Our analysis reveals that deep learning and hybrid approaches dominate the current research landscape, with CNN-based architecture and transfer learning techniques showing particularly promising results. To guide future advancements, this study also proposes a structured roadmap that organizes challenges and opportunities into short-, mid-, and long-term priorities. The roadmap integrates insights on model accuracy, system efficiency, and sustainability goals to support the practical deployment of AI-powered waste classification systems. This work provides researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the state-of-the-art in ML and DL for waste classification and offers insights into areas that remain unexplored.