Over the past few years, waste management companies have seen a massive jump in the popularity of recycling good news for the environment, but a lot of pressure on employees. In some cases, landfills and recycling plants struggle to sort the massive volume of incoming materials.
At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming just about every industry from healthcare and customer service to construction and manufacturing. Some waste management companies are experimenting with new AI solutions as a way to improve operational efficiency.
Discover AI’s prominent role in the waste management sector.
AI and Smart Recycling
Sorting is a major bottleneck for most recycling plants especially in America, where around 80 percent of recycling services use a single-sort system. With this method, all material goes in the same box. When it gets to the plant, it needs to be separated you can’t recycle plastic and cardboard the same way. Instead, workers carefully organize incoming materials.
New AI-powered technology helps recycling plants intelligently categorize different waste. The tech uses smart sensors and machine learning to rapidly identify what’s on a conveyor belt.
Aluminum, like old wires from electronics, is the most recyclable metal, as you can use it again and again. Smart machines can quickly pick it out from tin, a similar-looking metal, during the categorization process. They can also sort through cardboard, plastics and non-recyclable objects.
AI sensors are a vital improvement over traditional optic options. They can identify the type of material and take into account special considerations. A manufacturer may buy a certain kind of recyclable plastic, for example, but only it’s clean from contaminants. AI sensors can separate out plastics used with chemicals from those that are clean, even if they’re the same material.
The Benefits of Smart Technology
Researchers have been working on smart technology for years. It’s part of a broad push across all industries to use advanced AI and cut down on tedious and repetitive labor like identifying and sorting materials on a conveyor belt.
Right now, the tech can sort recyclables at a rate of up to 160 pieces per minute, while human workers sort between 30 and 40. Whereas few people can keep a quick pace for more than eight hours, AI can work as long as the conveyors keep running.
Other AI recycling technologies look to tackle the sorting problem at the front end. Experts want to break up the single-sort system so that, by the time the materials arrive at the plant, they’re categorized. Smart trash cans, for instance, use similar sensors to organize recyclables as they’re added to the bin.
The Challenges of AI Sorting
Despite how advanced these sorting technologies are, they aren’t robust enough to finish the job alone. Waste management companies who implement smart sorting keep workers nearby to catch mistakes and respond to alerts. For now, AI can streamline waste management categorizing recyclable materials, cutting down on the labor needed from workers but it can’t replace it.
While AI can improve the efficiency of recycling, it can’t reduce the amount of waste going to landfills or encourage people to adopt sustainable habits. Improvements will cut the cost of recycling, but there’s no guarantee it will result in more participation.
AI and the Future of Waste Management
Recycling will likely grow in the future as consumers become environmentally aware and look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
At the same time, however, single-sort recycling systems are here to stay. While consumers want eco-friendly options, they also crave convenience. In fact, there’s evidence that people will stop recycling if companies push complicated systems.
AI tech can’t fully sort recyclable materials yet. However, it can improve operations in waste management companies and lighten the load on workers.