ClearPath turns a resident's question ("where does this battery go?") into a verdict with citations in under 10 seconds. Six rule layers contribute to every answer, and the same five-step pipeline runs for every item, from an AA battery to a commercial refrigerator. Every step is auditable. Every step is sourced. Every decision shows its reasoning.
No single AI model decides what you should do with your waste. Six different rule layers contribute to each answer. You can see what each one did and where its information came from. Here is what each layer does.
Federal → State → County → City. Every verdict shows which authority level produced which step, with the source URL and the date it was last verified.
When a city rule depends on item state ("Is the chair still usable?"), you get one quick question. Tap an answer, and the verdict resolves on the same page.
Routes hazardous items (lithium batteries, sharps, e-waste) away from the trash bag before you commit. Operators see a dashboard of the ZIPs where confusion clusters.
When an item is reuse-eligible and a verified donation or take-back option is nearby, you see that first. It is never forced. You always see both options.
Looks at item size, hazard, condition, and pricing in one pass. You only see "Request pickup" when a hauler can actually fetch the item. Haulers see whether each pickup is donation, drop-off, or hazard.
When two sources disagree in the same scope ("Compost in one city, trash in the next"), the engine names the conflict and picks based on your ZIP. Operators get a one-click way to resolve it.
Two more layers run on the operator side: illegal-dumping early warning and service assurance. Eight in all.
See the full architectureEvery resident verdict runs through the same path. Same engine for "AA battery" as for "old refrigerator." No black-box AI deciding silently. Every step is auditable, sourced, and named.
Photo, short text, or voice. The vision system identifies the item, the material, and any hazard cues. If your local rule depends on condition ("Is the chair still usable?"), it asks one clarifying question.
Once matched, the item carries its category, hazard level, and known aliases. That way "laptop battery" and "li-ion 18650" both route to the same Federal Universal Waste rule.
The selector walks Federal down to City. The most specific applicable rule wins, but the verdict shows every layer that contributed, with each source URL.
Every cited URL is checked daily. Stale citations show as warnings. Verified ones get a "last verified" date on the verdict. If two sources at the same scope disagree, we flag the conflict instead of hiding it.
You get a specific recommended path: bin, drop-off, take-back program, or pickup. It comes with the prep steps, the facility (if any) with hours and distance, and a "request pickup" button only when a hauler can actually fetch the item.
The same five steps run for every ZIP we cover. 3,222 of them today.
Try a real item at /checkEvery verdict on /check runs through these six layers in this order. Type any item, expand the "Why this answer" toggle, and you can see each one in action.
Try /check now →