New AI frontier for waste recycling

Tomraa leading provider of optical sorting technology, and PolyPerception, a start-up at the forefront of waste analytics, have expanded their strategic alliance in the field of artificial intelligence since 2022, combining material sorting systems and cloud-based monitoring with material analytics.

By measuring data at critical points in the sorting process, PoyPerception helps recycling centres to continuously assess the quality of the sorted waste streams and identify the presence of recyclable material in the residual stream, enabling them to fine-tune sorting parameters while ensuring compliance with strict food recycling regulations and local legislation.

For Tomra, AI and data have long been an integral part of its R&D activities and product portfolio, with specific applications in machine learning, image recognition and infrastructure.

In fact, in 2019, the company launched the first deep learning technology for waste sorting: an innovation that combines deep learning technology with traditional sensors, enabling the sorting of difficult-to-classify materials, such as silicone cartridges that need to be removed from PE streams.

Since then, the company has continued to invest in the development of deep learning, which is considered an integral part of AI and machine learning.