The environmentally conscious AI

25.04.2023 - Around 415 million tonnes of waste are produced in Germany every year. Recycling waste is still often difficult and still requires expensive manual labour. As digitalisation progresses, there are more and more new technologies that contribute to the circular economy. Robotics, sensor technology and artificial intelligence (AI) could revolutionise recycling in the future.

Last year, the EU Commission presented the "Green Deal" - an initiative aimed at ending the throwaway society. The aim is to reduce the volume of waste and increase the recycling rate by 2030. To achieve this, measures such as promoting the circular economy and introducing legislation for sustainable products should be taken.

The fact is that recycling depends on clean and meticulous sorting. Modern technologies and artificial intelligence are playing an increasingly important role, helping to convert much of what was previously categorised as waste into resources and recyclable materials. Projects with innovative ideas that take recycling to a new level are being realised internationally.

Sorting waste, made easy

The start-up Bin-e specialises in the development of intelligent waste bins. Thanks to AI and machine learning, waste is recognised and automatically separated into different fractions. The smart containers can recognise and separate paper, plastic, metal and glass, which enables a better recycling rate and reduces the proportion of non-recyclable waste. Bin-e's technology also enables the collection of data on waste quantities, types and compositions. Waste streams can thus be better controlled and analysed.

The company Recycleye is also developing AI systems that are able to automatically sort and classify waste in order to optimise the recycling process. The system uses a combination of computer vision, machine learning and robotics to recognise and sort waste. A high-resolution camera is used to capture images of the waste in real time and send them to the system. The system identifies the different materials and automatically sorts them into the appropriate categories.

Vision: A waste-free future

Today, many recycling processes are still handled using Excel lists or person-to-person communication. This is often inefficient and time-consuming. The Hamburg-based company Resourcify has digitalised waste management. Resourcify's all-in-one platform provides companies with the recycling tools they need to move towards zero waste. The company uses an AI that helps to better evaluate analysis results and optimise disposal and production or improve product use. With Resourcify, companies can manage their waste management directly via the tool. Once a certain amount of data has been collected, the platform makes suggestions as to how recycling can be optimised, such as whether certain waste should be recycled instead of incinerated or which other disposal methods may be more cost-effective.

Resourcify's mission: a waste-free future. "We believe that the sustainability challenges we need to tackle as a society start with solving the waste problems we face," say the Resourcify developers. We need to move away from a 'take-make-waste' approach and focus on building sustainable and environmentally friendly circular models.

Finding the treasure in the rubbish with AI

Waste Robotics, a company specialising in the development of robotic systems for recycling waste, shows how valuable resources can be extracted from waste thanks to AI. Their vision: to create a more sustainable and efficient circular economy. The company is changing the way waste is collected, sorted and recycled. The robots from Waste Robotics are able to automatically recognise and categorise waste. The company aims to revolutionise the recycling industry by using robots that are able to sort and recycle waste, making the process faster and more efficient. Paper, plastic, metal and glass are identified as different materials. The technology is designed to transform the recycling process and the idea of an advanced circular economy.