The recycling sector, faced with growing waste volumes and the need for ever more efficient management, is seeing the emergence of new technological solutions. Robotics and artificial intelligence are emerging as key technologies for transforming sorting centers into intelligent factories, capable of accurately and efficiently sorting a wide variety of recyclable materials. In fact, the handling of waste, often irregular and heterogeneous, requires flexibility and precision that robots, equipped with advanced vision systems, are able to provide.
The benefits of robotics in the recycling industry
- More accurate sorting: Artificial intelligence enables robots to accurately identify different types of material, even the most complex, and sort them according to their nature. By improving sorting quality, robotics help to increase the quantity of recycled materials and reduce processing costs.
- Increase in processing capacity: The robots can work continuously at high speed, considerably increasing the volume of waste processed.
- Improved working conditions: Robots can take over repetitive and arduous tasks, reducing the risk of injury to employees and improving their quality of working life. Operators, positioned along the conveyor, sort materials and send them to the presses via chutes before they are loaded. It is important to recall the tragic accident in August 2017 in Drummondville, where a sorting center employee lost his life while performing a press release operation. This tragic event highlights the risks inherent in the waste collection and sorting professions.
The challenges ahead
- Investment cost: Acquiring and installing robots requires a substantial initial investment. It is crucial, therefore, to carefully assess their long-term profitability. Indeed, although acquisition costs are high, gains in productivity, quality and flexibility can quickly offset this investment. A thorough analysis of costs and benefits is therefore essential to make an informed decision.
- Employee training: It's important to train employees to work with robots.
- Integration into production processes: The integration of robotics requires adaptation/adjustment of production processes, and can lead to disruption.
- Maintenance: Robotic systems require regular maintenance to keep them running efficiently.
How can artificial intelligence (AI) help?
AI is increasingly automating sorting tasks at recycling centers, offering a solution to the sector's labor shortage. Robotic arms equipped with computer vision systems, trained by deep learning algorithms, can identify and sort up to 80 pieces of recyclable waste per minute, surpassing human capabilities. Operators can sort around 50 to 80 pieces per minute. Optical sorters, a more mature technology, use AI to accurately analyze the composition and shape of objects, enabling ultra-fast sorting (up to 1,000 pieces per minute). This increased automation improves the efficiency of recycling operations and contributes to better material recovery.
Robotics, a major asset for improving waste sorting efficiency
Today, around 32% of sorting centers in the USA now use robotics, compared with less than 5% in 2019. Robot AI optical systems can examine shapes, sizes and even brands thanks to deep learning. Robotics and artificial intelligence offer considerable opportunities to transform the recycling sector. By automating sorting tasks and improving grading accuracy, these technologies help preserve the environment and create a circular economy.
Sources : EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency
Économie, gouvernement du Québec