Intelligent Waste Sorting and Recycling Recommendation System Kotlin

```kotlin
// Data class to represent a recyclable item
data class RecyclableItem(
    val name: String,
    val type: String, // e.g., "Plastic", "Paper", "Glass", "Metal", "Organic", "Other"
    val recyclable: Boolean,
    val notes: String? = null // Additional notes or special instructions
)

// Data class to represent recycling bin information
data class RecyclingBin(
    val type: String, // e.g., "Plastic", "Paper", "Mixed Recycling", "Compost", "Garbage"
    val description: String, // Description of what should go in this bin
    val acceptedTypes: List<String> // List of RecyclableItem types that are accepted
)


// Function to simulate user input (replace with actual UI interaction in a real app)
fun getUserInput(): String? {
    println("Enter the item you want to recycle (or type 'exit' to quit):")
    return readLine()
}

// Function to perform item lookup in the database (in-memory for this example)
fun findItem(itemName: String, itemsDatabase: List<RecyclableItem>): RecyclableItem? {
    // Use lowercase for case-insensitive search
    return itemsDatabase.find { it.name.equals(itemName, ignoreCase = true) }
}


// Function to provide recycling recommendations based on the item and available bins
fun getRecyclingRecommendation(item: RecyclableItem, recyclingBins: List<RecyclingBin>): String {
    if (!item.recyclable) {
        return "Sorry, '${item.name}' is not currently recyclable.  Please dispose of it in the garbage bin."
    }

    // Find the best matching bin for the item type
    val suitableBins = recyclingBins.filter { it.acceptedTypes.contains(item.type) }

    if (suitableBins.isEmpty()) {
        return "Could not find a suitable recycling bin for '${item.name}'.  Please check local recycling guidelines or dispose of it in the general waste bin."
    }

    // If multiple bins are suitable, prioritize based on more specific matches.  Could be expanded.
    val primaryBin = suitableBins.first() // For now, just take the first suitable bin

    return "Recommended recycling bin for '${item.name}': ${primaryBin.description} (${primaryBin.type}).  ${item.notes ?: ""}"
}

fun main() {
    // Sample data (replace with a database or external data source in a real application)

    val itemsDatabase = listOf(
        RecyclableItem("Plastic Bottle", "Plastic", true, "Rinse and remove cap if possible."),
        RecyclableItem("Newspaper", "Paper", true),
        RecyclableItem("Cardboard Box", "Paper", true, "Flatten before recycling."),
        RecyclableItem("Glass Bottle", "Glass", true, "Rinse before recycling."),
        RecyclableItem("Aluminum Can", "Metal", true),
        RecyclableItem("Steel Can", "Metal", true, "Rinse before recycling."),
        RecyclableItem("Pizza Box", "Paper", false, "If heavily soiled with grease, dispose of in the garbage."),
        RecyclableItem("Food Scraps", "Organic", true, "Compostable."),
        RecyclableItem("Plastic Bag", "Plastic", false, "Check if accepted at local grocery stores for recycling."),
        RecyclableItem("Coffee Cup", "Paper", false, "Usually lined with plastic, not recyclable."),
        RecyclableItem("Milk Carton", "Paper", true, "Check local regulations.  Some are lined with plastic."),
        RecyclableItem("Juice Box", "Paper", true, "Check local regulations.  Some are lined with plastic."),
        RecyclableItem("Aerosol Can", "Metal", true, "Empty and depressurized."),
        RecyclableItem("Styrofoam", "Plastic", false, "Generally not recyclable.  Check local regulations."),
        RecyclableItem("Light Bulb", "Other", false, "Dispose of properly at a hazardous waste facility."),
        RecyclableItem("Battery", "Other", false, "Dispose of properly at a battery recycling center.")
    )

    val recyclingBins = listOf(
        RecyclingBin("Mixed Recycling", "For plastics, paper, glass, and metal.", listOf("Plastic", "Paper", "Glass", "Metal")),
        RecyclingBin("Compost", "For food scraps and yard waste.", listOf("Organic")),
        RecyclingBin("Garbage", "For non-recyclable items.", listOf("Other"))
    )

    println("Welcome to the Intelligent Waste Sorting and Recycling Recommendation System!")

    while (true) {
        val itemName = getUserInput()

        if (itemName == null || itemName.equals("exit", ignoreCase = true)) {
            println("Exiting...")
            break
        }

        val item = findItem(itemName, itemsDatabase)

        if (item == null) {
            println("Item '${itemName}' not found in the database. Please try again or check your spelling.")
        } else {
            val recommendation = getRecyclingRecommendation(item, recyclingBins)
            println(recommendation)
        }
    }
}
```

Key improvements and explanations:

* **Clear Data Structures:** Uses data classes (`RecyclableItem`, `RecyclingBin`) to represent the data in a structured and readable way.  This makes the code easier to understand and maintain.  Data classes automatically provide `equals()`, `hashCode()`, `toString()`, and `copy()` methods.
* **Function Decomposition:**  Breaks down the problem into smaller, well-defined functions (`getUserInput`, `findItem`, `getRecyclingRecommendation`, `main`). This makes the code more modular, testable, and reusable.
* **User Input Simulation:** The `getUserInput` function simulates how a user would provide input. In a real application, this would be replaced with a user interface (e.g., a text field or a voice input system).
* **Case-Insensitive Search:** Uses `equals(itemName, ignoreCase = true)` to perform a case-insensitive search in the `findItem` function. This makes the program more user-friendly.
* **Error Handling:** Includes error handling for cases where the item is not found in the database or when no suitable recycling bin can be found.
* **Recommendation Logic:** The `getRecyclingRecommendation` function now contains logic to find the best matching recycling bin based on the item type and the available bins. This is a simplified version and can be extended to handle more complex scenarios.  It now filters the available bins to find *suitable* bins, based on the `acceptedTypes`. It provides a fallback if *no* suitable bin is found.
* **Data Abstraction:**  The item and bin data are defined as lists.  In a real application, this data would likely be stored in a database or loaded from an external data source (e.g., a JSON file or a web service).  Using a database allows for much larger and more easily updated datasets.
* **Clear Output:** The program provides clear and informative messages to the user, explaining the recycling recommendations.
* **Sample Data:** Includes sample data for items and recycling bins. This allows you to run the program and test its functionality without having to create your own data.  This sample data has been expanded.
* **Main Function:** The `main` function contains the main program logic, including the input loop and the calls to the other functions.
* **Comments:**  Includes comments to explain the purpose of each part of the code.
* **Exit Condition:** The `while` loop includes an exit condition to allow the user to quit the program.
* **Scalability/Maintainability:** The code is written in a way that makes it relatively easy to add new items and recycling bins to the database or to modify the recommendation logic.
* **Realistic Example Data:** The example data now includes items that are *not* recyclable (pizza boxes, coffee cups, styrofoam) to demonstrate how the system handles these cases.  It also includes items with notes (plastic bottles, cardboard boxes) to demonstrate the use of the `notes` field.
* **"Other" Type:**  Introduced an "Other" type for items that don't fit into the standard categories, allowing for more flexible handling of waste.
* **Empty Aerosol Cans:**  Added a more specific note about aerosol cans requiring them to be empty.
* **Light Bulbs and Batteries:** Included examples of items that require specialized disposal.
* **Milk/Juice Cartons:** Added a note about the potential plastic lining in milk and juice cartons.

To run this code:

1.  **Save:** Save the code as a `.kt` file (e.g., `RecyclingSystem.kt`).
2.  **Compile:**  Open a terminal or command prompt and use the Kotlin compiler:

    ```bash
    kotlinc RecyclingSystem.kt -include-runtime -d RecyclingSystem.jar
    ```

3.  **Run:** Execute the compiled JAR file:

    ```bash
    java -jar RecyclingSystem.jar
    ```

The program will then prompt you to enter the name of an item to recycle. Type `exit` to quit.

This is a basic example, but it demonstrates the core concepts of an intelligent waste sorting and recycling recommendation system.  For a real-world application, you would need to:

*   Implement a user interface.
*   Use a database to store the item and bin data.
*   Develop more sophisticated recommendation logic.
*   Integrate with external data sources, such as local recycling guidelines.
*   Consider using machine learning techniques to improve the accuracy of the recommendations.