Our client is a circularity transformation company that helps the world's leading brands reduce their waste, achieve net zero targets and accelerate the shift to a circular economy. The company changes the way multinational businesses design, manufacture, and sell products. It works with such brands as Starbucks, Burger King, Nike, and Disney – to name a few. When they reached out to us to develop a platform that connects people with recycling companies across the USA, we knew it must be done on the highest level. 

Client request: Build an online platform for waste collection 

The goal was to create a minimum viable product of the platform featuring an algorithm that connects individuals who want to reduce their waste with recycling companies that handle the specific waste type needed and operate within the same geographic area. 

We had to develop an algorithm that can handle a comprehensive set of critical parameters and create a filter that would allow finding the needed company in mere minutes – all within six sprints. 

We believe that we have achieved this goal – and our ongoing collaboration serves as evidence that our client has discovered a reliable long-term partner in Wetelo. 

So what strategy did we choose to meet a very tight deadline and to progress at a fast pace? Read on to find out the most significant details. 

Developing a precise algorithm to connect users seeking waste management solutions with recycling companies

One of the challenges that arise with waste management is the disposal of specific waste materials such as electric appliances, construction materials, and hazardous chemicals, which becomes even more pressing in the wake of natural disasters – such as earthquakes or floods, which occur frequently in the USA. The aftermath of these disasters often results in a massive amount of waste, and it is for this reason that we developed a waste collection and recycling platform.

The algorithm processes 25K types of waste, ​​along with hundreds of other parameters

Our product is a web application developed for a wide range of users: from global insurance companies to people who are looking for a way to recycle their waste properly. The platform needed to make it easy for people to find the most convenient way to recycle their waste. To achieve this, we created an algorithm that includes all the necessary criteria:

• type of waste: toxic substances, construction waste, textiles, electric appliances– in total, 25.000 types of waste items; 
• region; 
• quantity and weight of objects; 
• price range;
• and even the percentage of recycling – which is important for those who wish to minimize their environmental footprint. 

After entering the data, the algorithm provides a list of suppliers that can recycle the user's specific waste type and are situated in the same region.  

Intuitive user flow both for suppliers and customers

While developing a filter which is a core functionality of the app, we needed to ensure the right user flow for both types of users – suppliers, and clients. 

Once registered on the app, clients can select the appropriate criteria using filter options and view a list of suppliers that meet their specifications. The user can then choose a suitable company, provide the necessary information for order placement, and contact the required company.

Suppliers, in turn, have to register in the app and enter information about their enterprise – region, type of waste they recycle, possible scope of work, shipment models, etc. Using the provided data, the app offers the most cost-efficient orders and calculates the optimal quantity of containers based on the specific order. 

With such an algorithm, we developed a reliable system that allows users and suppliers to quickly get in touch and minimize the time and effort put into calculating the most cost-efficient way to reduce waste. 

The combination of Adonis.js, NestJS, React, and MySQL for a quick release

The main requirement for the first iteration of the MVP was to adhere to a tight deadline and make rapid progress. To ensure the timely delivery of the project, we initially opted for Adonis.js as the primary backend framework then transitioned to NestJS, and used MySQL for the database, and React on the front end, which allowed us to achieve our objective efficiently. 

Adonis.js to speed up development

Thanks to our extensive experience in delivering Adonis.js-based projects, we were confident in our ability to complete the project on schedule. The use of Adonis.js streamlined the development process by helping us avoid any technical difficulties. 

React and Material UI to save costs

We chose tools that allowed us to deliver the product quickly and affordably because we needed to create an MVP that still required product market fit. 

We went with React for our front-end development because it has a modular structure that makes coding faster and maintenance easier. But then we thought, why not save even more time and effort? We opted for Material UI, which offers a comprehensive library of UI components that can be customized to align with our product's design language, instead of creating the UI from scratch. 

By combining React and Material UI with its pre-existing templates and components we were able to deliver a functional MVP within a short time frame, saving costs. The end result was a user-friendly product that met our client's expectations and helped them validate their idea in the market.

NestJS to build a scalable Node.js application

After the first stage was finished, we made the decision to transition to NestJS. This particular framework is designed for developing efficient and scalable server-side applications using Node.js. The reason our engineering team chose the NestJS framework is that it checked the three key boxes: 

• it is highly customizable, 
• it has extensive documentation, 
• and it has a broad community of followers. 

NestJS provides several advantages, such as the ability to define types, validation rules, and documentation independently, yet still within the same code block. This framework also offers flexibility through its Guards and custom Decorators, which provide greater context than standard middleware. Finally, Nest decorators allow for the definition of database models alongside our waste types, ensuring compatibility.

MySQL to handle a big number of related items 

As for the database we chose MySQL. It is designed to handle large volumes of data and support high-performance applications. This made it an ideal choice for our waste collection platform, which involves numerous items and connections. MySQL is a powerful and versatile database that offers many benefits, including scalability, performance, ease of use, cost-effectiveness, high availability, and community support.

CI/CD practices to streamline delivery

In order to ensure more efficient software delivery, we implemented Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) practices. This involved regularly integrating code changes into a shared repository, typically several times per day, in order to identify and address integration issues early on in the development process.

Thanks to our proficiency in web development, we were able to select the appropriate tech stack and deliver exceptional results within the given timeline.

Reaching security requirements with two-factor authentication

To ensure the safety of data and provide an additional layer of security beyond a simple username and password login, we needed to implement two-factor authentication. 

Incorporating two-factor authentication into the application presented its own set of challenges. First of all, it is complex to implement and manage. Two-factor authentication requires additional infrastructure, such as authentication servers, that require further configuration and maintenance. Our team had to select the most appropriate method that aligns with the app's requirements, integrate a 2FA provider, and finally enable authentication for users.

Ultimately, we met all of our client's requirements, greatly enhancing the application's security and ensuring a safe and reliable platform for all user roles.

A fast and efficient waste management platform 

After our work was done, the client received an MVP that featured an accurate algorithm capable of fully meeting user needs while maintaining a high level of security and speed.

The application addresses recycling issues for both large-scale companies that handle substantial amounts of waste and individuals seeking environmentally-friendly waste disposal methods. We are proud to have worked with such a client and delivered a project that contributes to a healthier environment. 

What our client thinks about our work:

“Working with Wetelo was a great experience. They were professional, well organised, and delivered what they said they would on time and to a high standard. It was a complex project for a full stack development of an app and they handled it extremely well. We would have no hesitation in recommending their services.”

Chief Operating Officer at the client’s company