Assessment of Performance and Challenges in Use of Commercial Automated Sorting Technology for Plastic Waste

Recycling plastic is an important step towards a circular economy. Attaining high-quality recycled plastics requires the separation of waste by type, color, and size prior to reprocessing. Automated technology key for sorting objects in medium- high-volume plants. The current state art commercial equipment as well challenges faced Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) sort post-consumer are analyzed here. Equipment recyclables were identified using publicly available information obtained from manufacturers’ websites, press releases, journal articles. Currently automated artificial intelligence (AI)-based sorters evaluated regarding their functionality, efficiency, types they can sort, throughput, accuracy. compiled captures progress made during ten years since similar reports published. A survey MRFs, reclaimers, brokers United States methods used plastic, practices encountered at MRFs recyclables. address some that face. However, film, multilayered, blended, or mixed-material problematic, typically designed single-component materials. Accordingly, improvements and/or new solutions considered necessary.