Saudi Geology Club · Hackathon 2026

Protecting Saudi Soil & Groundwater from Waste

TerraShield is an AI-powered waste interception system that prevents organic waste from ever reaching landfills eliminating leachate contamination of Saudi Arabia's precious geological resources.

Try AI Demo See How It Works
19,200
tonnes organic waste/year in KSA
91.5%
AI classification accuracy
85L
leachate prevented per tonne
1.35t
CO₂e avoided per tonne (IPCC AR6)
The Geological Problem

Saudi Arabia's Soil & Groundwater Are at Risk

Landfill leachate silently infiltrates subsurface layers, contaminating the aquifers that millions depend on with heavy metals including lead, arsenic, and chromium.

1

Organic waste ends up in landfills

Saudi Arabia generates thousands of tonnes of organic waste annually the vast majority disposed of in landfills with no treatment.

2

Landfills produce toxic leachate

Decomposing organic waste generates leachate a toxic liquid rich in heavy metals that seeps downward through soil layers.

3

Soil & groundwater contaminated

Leachate infiltrates topsoil, subsoil, and reaches the aquifer contaminating scarce groundwater with Pb, As, Cr, and Cu.

4

TerraShield breaks the chain at source

By intercepting waste before it reaches landfills, TerraShield eliminates leachate generation entirely protecting Saudi geology.

Madinah · 2021

Al-Hamra Al-Assad Landfill Study

Majority of surrounding groundwater samples found unfit for consumption due to leachate infiltration of lead, arsenic, and chromium Arabian Journal of Geosciences.

Riyadh · 2024

Three Southern Riyadh Landfills

Measurable soil contamination by Pb, As, Cr, and Cu detected around all three sites studied. Landfill area expanded significantly 2014–2024 King Saud University.

Qunfudah · 2025

Coastal Landfill Migration

Leachate from coastal landfill sites found reaching Red Sea sediments at dangerous concentrations threatening both soil and marine geological layers.

The Solution

How TerraShield Works

Five integrated technology layers working together to intercept waste at the source before it can threaten Saudi soil and groundwater.

📷
AI Vision
Camera captures waste on conveyor. ResNet18 CNN classifies in real-time with 91.5% accuracy including bioplastics.
🔀
Smart Sorting
Pneumatic gate separates organic waste from plastics within 0.3 seconds of classification decision.
⚙️
Digestion
Mesophilic anaerobic digester at 37°C converts organic waste into biogas (1.8 kWh/kg) and NPK compost.
🔗
Carbon Tracking
IoT sensors auto-mint blockchain carbon credits: 1.35 tCO₂e avoided per tonne diverted (IPCC AR6).
🛡️
Geo Protection
Zero organic waste reaches landfill. 85L leachate prevented per tonne. Soil and aquifer fully protected.
Live AI Demo

Try the Waste Classifier

Upload an image of waste and see TerraShield's AI classify it in real time and calculate its geological impact.

TerraShield AI Waste Classification Engine v2.1
Input Image
📁
Click to upload waste image
JPG, PNG · Any waste type
Uploaded waste
Classification Result
🔍

Upload an image to see the AI classification and geological impact score

Confidence 0%

🌍 Geological Impact (per kg)

Leachate prevented
Heavy metals blocked
Soil protection radius
CO₂e avoided
Destination
Impact Dashboard

Real-Time Geological Protection Metrics

Live data from TerraShield units showing cumulative protection of Saudi Arabia's soil and groundwater resources.

⚡
Biogas Energy Generated
0
kWh today
↑ 12% from yesterday
🌿
Waste Intercepted
0
kg today
Zero sent to landfill
💧
Leachate Prevented
0
litres today
Groundwater protected
🌱
Compost Produced
0
kg NPK today
Rich in N, P, K nutrients
🏭
CO₂e Avoided
0
tCO₂e today
IPCC AR6 methodology
🔗
Carbon Credits Minted
0
credits (Polygon L2)
Blockchain verified

Soil Layers Protected

3 Layers

Topsoil · Subsoil · Parent material all shielded from Pb, As, Cr, Cu infiltration

Groundwater Aquifer Status

✓ Clean

0.5 km² protection radius per unit · No heavy metal contamination detected

Vision 2030 Progress

94%

Landfill diversion mandate target · NCWM enforcement compliance achieved