Urbaser, a world leader in environmental solutions, today announced an investment in robotic classification technology for waste triage, powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The technology, which will be installed in Algimia (Valencia) in the first half of 2024, is being carried out by UK-based technology provider Recycleye.

The robot, which uses artificial vision to automatically detect and classify waste, will be installed in the rejection line to collect recoverable materials that have been lost at the end of the classification process, thereby preventing them from ending up in landfills. This investment ensures greater sustainability, generates more revenue and helps fulfill Urbaser’s vision of offering the best environmental solutions throughout its value chain.

Recycleye AI has been installed in waste processing centers in the UK and other European countries and has accuracy equivalent to the human eye. It uses a database of billions of trash images to accurately detect the material to be sorted. AI can detect and classify objects that were previously impossible, such as black plastic, and can differentiate objects made from the same material, such as aluminum cans versus aluminum aerosols. It can also recognize PET and other types of plastic bottles that contain residual liquid, which often results in sorting errors by some of the more established sorting technologies.

As each object passes through the belt, the Recycleye Vision system not only scans the material to enable sorting, but also records this information, providing near real-time analysis of the composition of the waste stream. Combined with a robotic arm, the system can pick up objects with greater precision than humans and is capable of operating 24/7 if needed.

Overall, this investment in AI-based automation equipment ensures that more materials can be separated for recycling.

Urbaser works closely with the Palancia Belcaire Consortium, a consortium of local authorities, who are united in the aim of sending less waste to landfill and allocating more waste for recycling. The installation of this innovative technology brings progress to Valencia and Spain that is already well underway in other European countries.

Speaking about this innovation, Rubén Benito Urbaser, plant manager managing Urbaser, said: “We are proud to bring this investment to our operations in Valenica, demonstrating our commitment to driving innovation and change in our quest for greater sustainability. “We hope these robots will bring greater value and traceability to our operations and ultimately allow us to recycle more, which is good for people, our business and the planet.”

Commenting on the agreement, Matías Gualtieri, Technical Sales Director of Valencia-based Recycleye, said: “The collaboration with FANUC as a supplier of robot weapons allows us to bring AI-powered sorting technology to Spain, while ensuring a solid after-sales response. thanks to its more than 15 service technicians spread across the country. “We are confident that we can leverage this first local facility to repeat the success we achieved in northern Europe and we are proud to have been chosen by Urbaser as a technology partner to turn more waste into resources.”