Friends of the Earth spin-off Recorra is to use artificial intelligence (AI) to boost efficiency and safety at a waste facility in Essex.
The firm bought a robotic sorting arm from London technology specialist Recycleye that uses smart sensors to identify different types of material and swiftly allocate them to the correct stream.
Capable of picking between 35 and 60 items per minute, the £300,000 system will be used to sort cardboard, plastics and coffee cups at Recorra’s materials recovery facility.
The company, launched by Friends of the Earth in the 1980s but now operating independently, said the investment would reduce the exposure of workers to risk.
It added that the AI-guided arm would be more accurate than the human eye, reducing contamination of waste streams.
Recorra managing director Bill Swan said: ‘This cutting-edge sorting arm represents our commitment to improving operational efficiency and, most importantly, health and safety.
‘The waste and recycling industry is inherently hazardous, and by automating part of the sorting process, we are taking crucial steps to minimise manual labour in high-risk areas.’
Installation will begin in January with completion expected by the summer.
