Automated vacuum collection

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An automated vacuum waste collection system, also known as pneumatic refuse collection, or automated vacuum collection (AVAC), transports waste at high speeds through underground pneumatic tubes to a collection station where the waste is compacted and sealed in containers. Full containers are transported away to be emptied. The AVAC system helps facilitate the separation and recycling of waste material.^[1]

The process begins by disposing of trash into intake hatches, also known as portholes, which are usually specialized for waste, recycling, or compost. Portholes are often located in public areas, and on private property where the owner has opted in. Through the use of air pressure differentials created by large industrial fans, waste is pulled into an underground pipeline system; this process is facilitated by the use of porthole sensors that indicate when the trash needs to be emptied and help ensure that only one type of waste material travels through the pipe at a time. The pipelines converge in a central processing facility which directs the waste to the appropriate containers so it could be transported to its final location, such as a landfill or composting plant.^[1]