diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a2e8876..b28675e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@
 
 __pycache__
 venv
+
+mongo-data
diff --git a/database/connection.py b/database/connection.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2446b7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/connection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from pymongo import MongoClient
+import os
+
+MONGODB_URI = os.getenv("MONGODB_URI")
+client = MongoClient(MONGODB_URI)
+db = client.get_default_database()
diff --git a/docker-compose.db.yml b/docker-compose.db.yml
index a1a6337..519882c 100644
--- a/docker-compose.db.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.db.yml
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
-version: '3.8'
+version: "3"
 
 services:
-  mongo:
-    image: mongo:7.0.0
-    container_name: mongodb_container
-    restart: always
-    environment:
-      MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME: ${MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME}
-      MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD}
-    ports:
-      - "27017:27017"
-    volumes:
-      - mongo-data:/data/db
+    mongo:
+        image: mongo:7.0.0
+        container_name: mongodb_container
+        restart: always
+        environment:
+            MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME: ${MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME}
+            MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD}
+        ports:
+            - "27017:27017"
+        volumes:
+            - ./mongo-data:/data/db
 
 volumes:
-  mongo-data:
\ No newline at end of file
+    mongo-data:
diff --git a/routers/waste_management.py b/routers/waste_management.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1413aec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routers/waste_management.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+from fastapi import APIRouter
+from ..database.connection import db
+
+router = APIRouter()
+
+
+class WasteItem(BaseModel):
+    name: str
+    description: str
+    disposal_method: str
+
+
+@router.get("/wastes/", response_model=List[WasteItem])
+async def get_waste_items():
+    waste_items = db.wastes.find()
+    return list(waste_items)