Usess of the Airware technology, which started shipping last November, so far include agricultural drones that use image analysis to decrease waste of water and increase crop yields.

FORBES: Drone Startup Airware Lands $10.7 Million Series A Led By Andreessen Horowitz

According to Fuller, the Connected Urban Development pilots helped to show how cities can accelerate their transition to sustainability, reduce CO2 emissions, increase energy efficiency, and decrease waste, all by harnessing the basic information and communications technology available in wireless networks.

FORBES: Can IT Make Cities Better?

Deputy Spruce said the cost of kerbside recycling could not be justified by a decrease in residual waste of "only a few thousand tonnes".

BBC: Guernsey minister defends kerbside recycling costs

The ultimate goal is to decrease the amount of electronic waste that ends up in landfills every year.

FORBES: The Road To A Recyclable Laptop

The amount of household waste produced per person in Wales also continued to decrease, falling to 63kg per person in April to June 2012, from 69kg per person in April to June 2011.

BBC: Councils recycle 53% of waste, Wales figures show

"It's just a remarkable decrease, " says Bruce Walker, solid waste manager for Portland's Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

WSJ: Portland Creates Buzz by Cutting Garbage Pickups