Compology built AI camera sensors for waste and recycling monitoring. Learn what it does, its acquisition history, and current status under RoadRunner.
Category
DevOps
Pricing
Enterprise B2B, quote-based hardware plus software subscription (historically; now offered through RoadRunner Recycling), from Not publicly disclosed; historically sold as a custom quote combining camera hardware installation and a recurring monitoring subscription
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2012
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, United States (now part of RoadRunner Recycling, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
What Compology Did
Compology built AI-powered camera sensors that were installed inside commercial dumpsters and recycling containers. These cameras captured images of the container's contents and used computer vision to estimate fill level and flag contamination, such as recyclable bins containing non-recyclable waste.
The company, founded in San Francisco around 2012 to 2013 by Jason Gates and Benjamin Chehebar, positioned itself as the world's largest waste and recycling smart metering technology company and operated as a certified B Corporation, serving Fortune 500 companies, property managers, waste haulers, cities, and universities.
Who Acquired Compology: RoadRunner Recycling, Not Rubicon
Compology was acquired by RoadRunner Recycling in October 2022, not by Rubicon Technologies. RoadRunner is a Pittsburgh-based commercial waste and recycling collection company, founded in 2014, that coordinates pickups through a network of third-party haulers across more than 40 major cities in all 50 US states.
RoadRunner acquired Compology specifically to bring AI-based smart metering and container monitoring technology in-house, strengthening its ability to collect data on waste volumes and contamination across its collection network. The deal reportedly more than doubled RoadRunner's employee headcount at the time, to roughly 600 employees.
Compology's Current Status
As of 2026, Compology no longer operates as an independent, standalone company. Its camera-based monitoring technology, engineering team, and customer relationships were integrated into RoadRunner Recycling following the 2022 acquisition. Separately, Rubicon Technologies, a different waste tech company, has been divesting parts of its own software and smart-city business as of early 2026, which is unrelated to Compology's ownership history.
Key Features
In-dumpster camera monitoring — Cameras installed inside commercial dumpsters and recycling containers captured images to assess fill level and container status.
AI-based Contamination Score — Computer vision analyzed container contents to flag contamination, such as non-recyclable material in a recycling bin.
Fill-level tracking — Data on how full a container was helped haulers and property managers optimize pickup frequency and avoid overflow.
Service verification — Fill-level and image data let customers verify whether a hauler had actually emptied a container as billed.
Sustainability and ESG reporting support — Aggregated waste and recycling data supported corporate sustainability reporting for large enterprise customers.
B Corp certified operations — Compology operated as a certified B Corporation, reflecting a stated commitment to social and environmental performance standards.
Enterprise and multi-site deployment — The technology was deployed across large, multi-location customers including Fortune 500 retailers and restaurant chains.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Pioneered AI camera-based monitoring for an industry that historically had little real-time visibility into container status
Public information about Compology post-acquisition is limited since it is no longer separately marketed
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Compology do
Compology built AI-powered cameras installed inside dumpsters and recycling containers to monitor fill levels and detect contamination for waste haulers, property managers, and large enterprises.
Who acquired Compology
Compology was acquired by RoadRunner Recycling in October 2022. It was not acquired by Rubicon Technologies, a common point of confusion.
Is Compology still an independent company
No. As of 2026, Compology operates as part of RoadRunner Recycling rather than as a standalone company.
When was Compology founded
Sources place Compology's founding around 2012 to 2013, with its first commercial camera-based monitoring deployment occurring in 2014.
What is a Contamination Score
It is a metric Compology's AI generated by analyzing images from in-container cameras to flag when recyclable containers had non-recyclable material mixed in.
Where was Compology headquartered
Compology was headquartered in San Francisco, California, prior to its acquisition by Pittsburgh-based RoadRunner Recycling.
Can I still buy Compology's product today
The underlying technology is now offered through RoadRunner Recycling's waste and recycling data platform rather than sold separately under the Compology brand.
What is the difference between Compology and Rubicon Technologies
Compology and Rubicon Technologies are separate waste technology companies. Compology was acquired by RoadRunner Recycling, while Rubicon has been a distinct, at times publicly traded, waste technology company that has been divesting parts of its own software business as of 2026.