Robots and Recycling
How AI and Robotics Clean Up the Recycling Process
Every day, Diversified Recycling in East Hazel Crest, Illinois accepts hundreds of tons of mixed recyclables from Chicagoland and NW Indiana residents. In fact, Diversified Recycling is one of the largest recycling sorting facilities in the Midwest. The mix of materials includes cardboard, cans, paper, plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs — and, unfortunately, some non-recyclable items. The challenge for Diversified Recycling is to quickly and efficiently sort these items as more material arrives throughout the day. To aid in their sorting efforts, Diversified Recycling has begun using AI-powered robots.
Every day, Diversified Recycling in East Hazel Crest, Illinois accepts hundreds of tons of mixed recyclables from Chicagoland and NW Indiana residents. In fact, Diversified Recycling is one of the largest recycling sorting facilities in the Midwest. The mix of materials includes cardboard, cans, paper, plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs — and, unfortunately, some non-recyclable items. The challenge for Diversified Recycling is to quickly and efficiently sort these items as more material arrives throughout the day. To aid in their sorting efforts, Diversified Recycling has begun using AI-powered robots.
What Happens to Recyclables?
Once the mix of recyclable materials arrive at the recycling center, they undergo a rigorous sorting process. Conveyor belts of mixed material wind their way through the facility while magnets, spinning rubber wheels, scanners, and staff work together to sort the material. The mixed items must be separated into distinct categories, ensuring that each final bale of material is clean and ready for reuse.
But as straightforward as it sounds, the process faces some challenges.
The Mixed-Up Bag of Recycling
Recycling hundreds of tons of recyclables is more complicated than it seems. Public misconceptions about recyclability slow the process. Especially when items like rubber hoses, plastic tarps, food scraps, clothing, and bags of garbage are placed in recycle bins. Recyclable materials can be ruined if mixed with non-recyclables. For example, a dirty diaper or a container of oil can contaminate a batch of cardboard and render it unusable.
“Every day is an exciting challenge of sorting out the incoming material into the various components, ready them for market, and ship them off to mills across the country that turn them into new products.”
– Ernesto Valencia, Plant Manager, Diversified Recycling
AI Robots Quickly Separate Materials
To tackle these challenges, Diversified Recycling has partnered with Glacier to integrate AI-powered robotics into its already robust automated sorting process. Glacier has installed dozens of robots throughout the United States in a variety of recycling operations. These robots are currently tasked with quality control in the paper section. AI robots use advanced sensors to detect and remove unwanted materials like stray garbage or mixed plastics from the paper. Equipped with suction mechanisms, they can quickly grasp and eliminate contaminants.
The robots work tirelessly, and the speed of these robots is nearing the speed of a human sorter. The final result is clean bales of cardboard and paper, ready to be made into new products. By reprogramming their algorithms, the robots adapt to changes in material size, shape, and color. This constant machine learning enables the robots to evolve with consumer packaging trends.
Other Recycling and Waste Technology
This is not the first time technology has aided in the recycling process, and Diversified has always been up to date with mechanical sorting technology. They’ve been using Tomra optical sensors for many years to seamlessly sort plastics by type. The sensors are installed to detect plastic containers by size, shape, and color and sort the materials with tiny bursts of air. For example, these optical sensors can detect the difference between a laundry soap bottle and a milk jug and separate them into assigned storage bunkers.
Suction devices drop down from above to grab and remove non-recyclable items from a conveyor belt of material.
Recycling robot mechanical components encased in plexiglass.
AI-powered robots, conveyor belts, and staff work together to sort types of recyclable items.
“So far we are encouraged by the performance of the robots. The cameras and scanners are able to identify contaminants very effectively and the robotic arms have been successful in removing these contaminants.”
– John Pausma, Business Development
Recycling for the Next Generation
The future of recycling is bright, with facilities like Diversified Recycling leveraging technology for efficiency and sustainability. Optical sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics lead the charge. By embracing innovation, the recycling industry can divert more waste from landfills and move closer to a circular economy.