IT company "ITCOWORK" in Aomori/Hachinohe (Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture) has begun delivery of a free smartphone application "Hirosaki City Garbage Collection Application" for smartphones on June 22nd.

Utilizing Hirosaki city's open data, this app has a garbage collection date notification function and a classification search function. There are two types, Android version and iOS version.

Regarding the background of the development, Shinya Okamoto of the company said, ``When I was stressed that I could not easily generate the garbage that I collect irregularly such as cardboard and plastic bottles, I learned that the garbage situation in Aomori prefecture is not good I'm feeling worried."

The app, which was developed based on the "Hachinohe version," which started distribution in September last year, "was carried out while being supported by senior engineers as part of training for new employees," says Okamoto. He said that he tried to make the application easy to use by minimizing the functions.

According to the municipal solid waste management status announced by the Aomori Prefectural Environmental Policy Division on April 14, this year, Hirosaki City has the third largest waste discharge amount among the 40 municipalities in the prefecture in FY2015, and it is recycled. The rate is also sluggish at the bottom.

Mr. Okamoto says, "Hirosaki City is the first local government to adopt open data in the prefecture. We are aware of the utilization model and would like to provide it to other local governments to contribute to the reduction of garbage."