The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics has helped transform recycling solutions over recent years, using much more sophisticated technologies to identify and sort materials with greater precision and less manual labour than ever before. The possibilities appear endless, which can often present a different conundrum – where to start? 

We spoke with Gareth Hawthorne, Lead Applications Engineer at Kiverco Ltd, to help guide us through the technical benefits of sorting technology. Gareth has worked with Kiverco, a leading manufacturer of recycling solutions, for over 16 years. He has seen first-hand how the industry has developed in recent years, and the many benefits advanced sorting technology has brought to waste management companies globally. 

‘Kiverco has been working in the waste management sector for over 30 years, and it is fantastic to see how the industry has developed through the use of technology. Where once waste management companies relied on manual picking to help sort waste, today there is a drive to improve efficiency and the accuracy of recovered product – and that’s where technology can play a vital role. There are so many possibilities available to us, so it is critical not to over-specify or over-complicate – we need to be sure to incorporate the best technology to meet each customer’s objectives. It sounds straightforward, but with so much available to us, this is where our industry and engineering experience comes into play.

No matter what project we are working on, we partner with our customers to ensure we are all agreed on the final objectives of each plant. We work with leading technology partners with the industry, and our team of engineers use their expertise to design and incorporate the right sorting technology for the project. 

For example, a cleaner and purer end product is going to require much more sophisticated sizing and screening earlier in the plant design. This is where we incorporate pre-screen technologies such as shredders, trommels and long part separators, to break down the materials early on in the process and avoid large items getting through to the first screen. 

The use of waste screens separates the material into different sized fractions – oversize and undersize fractions. On a higher capacity plant we may then move into 2-Way and 3-Way density separators. These key pieces of equipment within the plant separate the material into different density fractions preparing it for further processing downstream with other pieces of technology, which in turn reduces labour.

Metals are a valuable commodity and the use and position of the correct magnets can be vital to ensuring maximum return on investment. The strategic placement of magnets throughout the plant can be key to effective sorting. Eddy Current Separators (ECS) are also used to recover the non-ferrous metals like aluminium, brass and copper, which have a high value and are a great revenue stream for the customer.

Near-Infrared (NIR) and Visual Spectrometry (VIS) Sensors technology are commonly used to sort waste by material type, and can pick out materials by colour, material type, size – practically anything we need picked out. 

As you can see the possibilities are endless, and it is important to pick the correct technology to match the project. Not all projects need highly advanced technology – trommels and quality control stations play a very valid part in this ever-changing world of sorting technology. At Kiverco, whilst we embrace all new technologies and are constantly striving to find new ways to create value for our customers – sometimes some of the more traditional sorting technologies are much more suited to the project. Most importantly, our plant is designed with modularity in mind, so as a business is growing, we can add technology to an existing plant within minimal disruption. This is a model we have been operating in the UK and globally for many years. 

My advice to anyone starting in the industry is to pick a partner you can trust – who has proven experience in this field to be able to guide you and advise you on sorting technology to meet your own needs.