Recycling app wins prize
May 8, 2025
RecycLENS recognized in the sustainability category at HooHacks competition
At this year's HooHacks competition, one team's inventive approach to a common environmental concern placed them first in the sustainability category. RecycLENS, an AI-powered mobile app created to assist users with sorting their waste properly, was awarded the top prize for its ability to promote sustainable waste practice and cut down contamination when recycling. The team was rewarded with $1,000, sponsored by the Office for Sustainability.
HooHacks is an annual hackathon hosted by the University of Virginia. During this event, students from various universities compete by creating and developing a software project within a 24-hour period. FM's Director of Technology & Innovation Chris Smeds, who serves as co-chair of the University's Sustainable IT Working Group, served as a judge for the competition's sustainability category.
Created by a team of students from Virginia Tech – Ayush Sadekar, Sam Wheeler, Ishaan Dave and Nilay Yadav – the app addresses a problem they noticed in their daily lives at their campus: many were unsure what can and can't be recycled. “There are a lot of rules regarding what can and cannot be recycled,” the team said. “We noticed that a lot of people opted to trash their items when they were unsure which receptacle they should use.”
RecycLENS eases this process through permitting users to take or upload a photo of their waste item. In seconds, the app then uses a fine-tuned image classification model to label if the item belongs in recycling, waste, or compost. The result guides the user to dispose the waste appropriately and prevents the mis-sorting that leads to recycling contamination – an issue that costs $300 million to the U.S. recycling systems annually, according to Corporate Management Review at the University of California, Berkeley.
(UVA has an online waste directory that students can search if they don't know whether it's recyclable or not on Grounds.)
With the hackathon lasting 24 hours, the team tackled the struggle of meeting the tight deadline. “The best approach is simple: just be responsible and present yourself well,” they mentioned. "We made sure to take regular breaks to unwind, catch up with each other and share meals. This not only lifted our spirits but also helped us cope with the fatigue."
Their efforts paid off – the team expressed that seeing their app recognized as the winner felt absolutely “electrifying.”
“This recognition is a tangible representation of our passion for helping the environment,” they said.
The RecycLENS team is excited about the future and has plans to launch their app on the App Store, while adding more features and advancements. Their ideas for future updates include being able to sort several items all at once, and the ability to suggest nearby recycling centers to make the recycling more efficient.
If you want to learn more about recycling at UVA visit the UVA Sustainability website.
Ishika Vij
Communications assistant student worker
UVA Facilities Management
pqj8rr@virginia.edu