Horry County Landfill located in South Carolina (Courtesy C. Danielle Alexander)
Danielle Alexander’s Waste Lens™ transforms the circular economy through behavior-change innovation
In an era where AI adoption in waste management is expected to grow at a compound rate of 22% per year through 2030, one FAMU-FSU College of Engineering alumna is positioning herself at the forefront of this technological revolution. C. Danielle Alexander combines exceptional engineering expertise with entrepreneurial vision to tackle the global waste crisis through cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
Engineering Foundation Drives Innovation
Alexander graduated from Florida State University and the joint FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in 1999 with a chemical engineering degree. Since then, she has built an impressive career rooted in innovation and community engagement. After earning her MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Rollins College in 2005, she founded and now leads Eco-Activators as CEO.
The Myrtle Beach-based cleantech company recently launched Waste Lens™, a Vision AI and agent-led behavior-change platform designed to transform how communities manage waste at scale. The innovation represents a category-defining approach to the waste segment of the circular economy.
Category-Defining Technology Platform
“Residents snap a photo of their trash, and Waste Lens™ shows them what to do—based on local rules,” Alexander explains. “It’s like having a personal waste agent in your pocket. Waste Lens™ turns good intentions into action by rewarding follow-through and making behavior change intuitive.”
Unlike traditional recycling solutions, Waste Lens™ functions as a behavior engine and digital layer for the waste segment of the circular economy. The platform leverages Vision AI to recognize waste in real time, then guides users with actionable, locally relevant next steps.
“After decades of campaigns, U.S. recycling rates remain dismal,” Alexander notes. “Waste Lens™ is different—modern, tech-forward, and rewarding.”
Recognition and Market Validation
The innovative approach has garnered significant industry recognition. Eco-Activators was recently voted a #Change100 winner as one of the world’s top sustainability startups to watch in 2025. The company also joined Myrtle Beach’s Living Lab program, a strategic partnership designed to support emerging technology companies.
The timing aligns with broader market trends toward circular economy solutions, with the global smart waste management market expected to reach significant growth as municipalities seek technology-driven sustainability solutions.
From Ms. Sustainability™ to Systems Impact
Alexander’s journey toward waste innovation began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. Watching the world heal during reduced human activity, she realized that meaningful environmental recovery didn’t require another lockdown—it required less waste.
This insight led to her platform as Ms. Sustainability™, where she champions practical, tech-enabled approaches to environmental challenges. “My friend suggested the name, and it evolved into my personal platform where I speak on everything from reducing consumption to rethinking waste as an opportunity,” Alexander said.
The Ms. Sustainability™ platform serves as Alexander’s advocacy space, separate from Eco-Activators, allowing her to promote inclusive approaches that meet people where they are in their sustainability journey.
Engineering Excellence and Mentorship Legacy
Reflecting on her FAMU-FSU College of Engineering experience, Alexander recalls the collaborative atmosphere that shaped her approach to complex problem-solving. “It’s been a while since I walked those halls, but I still remember the late nights and the unique dynamic of two universities coming together,” she said.
She credits Professor Samuel Awoniyi as a pivotal mentor. “His words still ring wise and I’ve always admired his ability to mentor with such grace,” Alexander noted. “His approachability and genuine interest in students” continues to influence her leadership style.
Academic Collaboration and Technical Validation
At the recent SWANA Spring Conference, Alexander connected with Professor Tarek Abichou, a renowned expert in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from landfills through methane biooxidation and researcher at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
“He reinforced that Waste Lens™ has meaningful potential and I look forward to leveraging Professor Abichou’s expertise to create a solution with measurable impact,” she said. This academic validation underscores the platform’s technical foundation and environmental science applications.
Strategic Vision for Systemic Change
Alexander’s approach reflects sophisticated engineering thinking applied to behavior change at scale. “For too long, waste has been seen as a nuisance and a cost center,” she explains. “Waste Lens™ flips that script—proving waste can be one of the largest untapped economic engines of our time.”
The platform’s architecture embodies the principle “Built Once. Flex Everywhere,” enabling adaptation across diverse environments including cities, campuses, hotels, events, and sustainable tourism initiatives.
“It’s AI-native, cloud- and API-based; designed to stay locally relevant while delivering systemic impact,” Alexander emphasizes. This technical design positions Waste Lens™ to scale nationally and globally while maintaining local effectiveness.
Engineering Mindset for Global Impact
For current engineering students, Alexander offers strategic counsel rooted in her technical background: “Engineering should signal your caliber. You’re learning to tackle complexity and think critically — skills that are strategic assets in any career.”
She encourages students to embrace broad thinking: “Don’t be afraid to be a generalist. You don’t need to be the deepest expert in the room to be a world changer.”
Future of Waste Technology
Looking ahead five years, Alexander envisions Waste Lens™ scaled nationally and globally. Her vision aligns with projections that circular economy approaches could reduce global waste volumes significantly by 2050.
“The future of waste is clean, modern and profitable—and it brings us closer to a healthier planet,” Alexander said. “We just don’t overemphasize that last part, because history has shown that guilt and fear don’t motivate people the way opportunity does.”
This strategic positioning reflects engineering-trained thinking: identifying systems-level solutions while understanding human behavior dynamics.
Engineering Innovation for Global Challenges
Through her groundbreaking work, C. Danielle Alexander demonstrates how engineering excellence can drive transformative environmental solutions. Her journey exemplifies the profound impact that technical expertise, combined with entrepreneurial vision, can have on global sustainability challenges.
Waste Lens™ represents more than a technology platform—it embodies a systems-level approach to unlocking the full potential of the waste segment within the circular economy. Alexander’s engineering foundation continues to guide her mission of partnering with existing waste infrastructure to create measurable environmental and economic impact.
Editor’s Note: This article was edited with a custom prompt for Claude Sonnet 4, an AI assistant created by Anthropic. The AI optimized the article for SEO discoverability, improved clarity, structure and readability while preserving the original reporting and factual content. All information and viewpoints remain those of the author and publication. This article was edited and fact-checked by college staff before being published. This disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency in our editorial process. Last edited: 09/03/2025.