Automating the process, optical sorters boost throughput, recovery, and purity if the right investment is made.
By Sebastian Ward
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Optical sorters are designed to automate the process while increasing yield, purity, and profitability. Increasing throughput, optical sorters using valve block ejection deliver a much higher capacity than that of manual labor, helping to address the labor shortage and allowing for reallocation of workers from the line to positions of more value for the materials recovery facility (MRF).
However, investing in the right technologies, partnering with an experienced provider, and maintaining the equipment are all keys to improving ROI and the operation’s profitability. It all begins with having clearly defined goals and investment targets, must-have and nice-to-have requirements, as well as budget framework.
Working with a trusted partner to help guide you through the necessary considerations—from sensor and technology selection, feed material testing, and legislation and market requirements—is the best place to start. They can make recommendations for flexible plant configurations that include advanced technologies capable of adapting to changing market conditions and legislation, helping to ensure the MRF’s profitability not only today, but also well into the future.
Following are some considerations when investing in a new circuit or making technology upgrades, as well as how to keep it operating efficiently for years.
The Right Partner
Investing in the right sorter reaches beyond finding the right sensors and technologies. It begins with choosing the right partner who will work with you to provide training, service, and maintenance after the purchase.
Today, it is critical to select a partner that can help you navigate the differences between traditional artificial intelligence (AI) used in optical sorters, and deep learning AI employed by the most advanced sorters. Both have their own unique values to the operation. Near infrared (NIR) and other sensors commonly used at MRFs sort based on material type, distinguishing between polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), and other plastics. Deep learning, on the other hand, sorts based on visual information, such as material color and what the eye can see.
During equipment and technology installation, it will also be the provider that will carry out inspection, recalibration, and optimization services, involving your technical team along the way. They will also be responsible for training your team machine operation, changes to settings, as well as basic maintenance. Look for a provider that will also offer the option of remote maintenance to help save time and money.
Passing the Test
Testing infeed material in advance will provide deep insights into the performance capabilities of the proposed combination of sorting technologies. Especially when working with unusual material or non-standard applications, taking the time for this step provides significant advantages in understanding the quality and quantity of the output material.
This test may be conducted in the plant builder or technology provider’s test center, via a visit to a plant processing similar material or through a mixture of both. If processing material at a test center, your partner will analyze the material composition and run different tests, handling steps and technologies to evaluate throughput and purity rates. This will allow you to zero in on the right type, number, and location of the sorters. From throughput capacity to application feasibility, you will come away with firsthand experience and evidential data to create a sound, value-based investment strategy.
Anticipating the Future
Legislative changes plus the dynamic recycling industry make long-term planning indispensable. Even if the solution meets your requirements today, clarify with your partner in advance what options are available for upgrading the sorter.
We have often received requests from customers a few years after plant installation seeking new opportunities to enhance their throughput, purity, and/or recovery to capture new revenue streams through plant retrofitting. For example, a process using NIR sensors alone was determined to be the ideal solution to process tested infeed material at the time of installation, but market and/or stream changes have the customer considering separation by color type or a solution to address high black content in the material. Having an adaptable sorter capable of add-on technologies can save considerable time and money for the MRF.
Fortunately, some optical sorters available on the market offer upgrade flexibility and a variety of sensor upgrade options. These could include adding laser technology to detect black material or, popular today, installing deep learning AI to deliver a more granular sort of final material.
Combining AI Technologies
The introduction of deep learning AI to the recycling industry has enabled the separation of previously hard-or impossible-to-classify materials. Early forms of deep learning applications included a color camera combined with robotic arms designed to mimic the picking action of the manual sorter, offering around 70 or 80 picks per minute. They were end-of-line, final quality control solutions to enhance material recovery. A drawback, however, is that the suction cups on the robotic arms can require virtually daily maintenance.
More recently, technology providers have introduced multiple deep learning AI applications to enhance the sorting capabilities of optical sorters. The advantage is twofold. First, valve-block ejection employed with sorters significantly increases throughput speed well beyond the 70 to 80 picks per minute to rates reaching 6 tons per hour as purity exceeds 95 percent.
Second, the color camera used with deep learning sees color, shape, and other visual characteristics of the material on the belt. The NIR sensor of the optical sorter distinguishes the type of material. In plastics sorting, deep learning will recognize a green soda bottle, clear water bottle, or milk jug passing through the sensor, while the optical sorter’s NIR sensor will simultaneously distinguish if that object is a PET bottle with either a PET or PVC label.
There are, however, profitable applications for the camera plus deep learning AI alone when combined with the speed of valve-block ejection. In used beverage container (UBC) classification applications, trained deep learning AI technology quickly distinguishes between the desired UBC fractions and non-UBC materials like aluminum bottles, food cans, and trays on the belt. Valve-block ejection in this application offers high-throughput processing at up to 2,000 ejections per minute and 98 percent+ purity without manual sorting.
Consider the Data
Sensor-based sorters generate vast amounts of data about the scanned material—throughput, material and size distribution, acceptance and rejection rates, among others—in which MRFs can leverage to make fact-based decision making. It can be used to enhance operational efficiency and sorting output, while, at the same time, reduce sorting interruptions and downtime. Data enables close monitoring of input feed material, detection of unwanted material, and the ability to act quickly to correct unforeseen issues.
To gain the full potential from the sorter, work with the technology provider to connect the equipment to a secure, cloud-based platform to receive near-rear-time monitoring. This allows you to access digital metrics from a desktop computer or mobile device on the status and performance of the sorting equipment from anywhere an internet connection is available. Customizable alarms and reports also allow for close monitoring of the sorting process to quickly detect low throughput rates or purity, so it can be addressed.
Maintaining the Equipment
Today’s sorting equipment are finely tuned machines that help to automate the sorting process. To keep these machines working at peak performance, they must be properly maintained. Some of the most common maintenance practices to help keep a consistent sort include:
• Calibration—To see material correctly, it is crucial that the sorter’s illumination unit is calibrated, and this sometimes needs to be done on a daily or weekly basis. Look for optical sorters that offer continuous calibration, so calibrating the machines does not cut into the production schedule.
• Valve checks—To work properly, the valves in valve-block ejection units must remain clean and clear of debris. Have workers perform a valve check for high and low pressure to make sure each valve is working properly to avoid lost output or contaminated final product. Some, but not all, optical sorters offer auto testing and cleaning of the valves to ensure optimal sorting performance and purity.
• Belt speed—The correct belt speed is the difference between high product purity or increased material contamination. Belt wear, bearings, gears, and debris build-up can change belt speed, so it is essential to check for correct belt speed multiple times each shift. Sensors can be used on the material feeder to assist with this.
• Keep a spare—To minimize downtime, keep enough critical and high attrition parts—air filters, lamps, valves, etc.—on hand for quick replacement. A bulb is a 10-minute replacement if in stock, but, if not, it will be one to two days to replace plus the cost of overnight shipping and circuit downtime.
• Leverage technology—A connected asset enables manufacturers to resolve many machine sorting issues remotely via a virtual private network (VPN). With a call, text, or , you can connect with the manufacturer to resolve performance issues quicker than a site visit.
Maximize Your Investment
Recycling facilities today have more advanced sorting options available to them than at any other time previously to help achieve throughput, purity and recovery targets for processing infeed material. In order to maximize optical sorter investment, it is important for the MRF to have a plan with clearly defined targets, and test feed material prior to purchasing the sorters. Work with a trusted and experienced plant builder or technology provider who will not only provide you with expert installation, training, and optimization of the sorters, but will also be there to support the equipment well into the future. | WA
Sebastian Ward is TOMRA Key Accounts Manager, North America. TOMRA Recycling Sorting designs and manufactures sensor-based sorting technologies for the global recycling and waste management industry to transform resource recovery and create value in waste. The company was the first to develop advanced waste and metals sorting applications using high capacity near infrared (NIR) technology to extract the most value from resources and keep materials in a loop of use and reuse. To date, around 10,000 systems have been installed in 100 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.tomra.com.
One of the most overlooked areas for potential savings is a business’s waste management program. The waste generated in your business is not only bad for the environment but also a financial drain. You lose the funds invested in purchasing operational items and incur expenses for its disposal. A waste audit is a valuable solution to avoiding unnecessary losses.
Tossing out more waste than necessary adds to the cost of doing business and potentially adds to the loss of valuable resources. The growing trends of environmental awareness and corporate social responsibility have driven consumers to purchase from companies that prioritize green initiatives.
To capitalize on this trend, you need data to create the most thoughtful plan of attack-and that’s where a waste audit comes in. It can provide valuable insight into a business’s waste disposal program and help identify areas of improvement and cost savings in your business.
A waste audit studies a business’s solid waste stream-specifically, the types and amounts the business generates, such as plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, metals, and organics. It is performed for companies and businesses to streamline disposal, save money and reduce the carbon footprint.
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The audit typically involves sorting and quantifying all the waste generated over a certain period of time. This allows the auditor to break down what percentage is actually going to landfill and how much is being recycled, composted, or incinerated.
It also identifies which products or processes are generating the most waste and any potential waste streams that might have been overlooked.
By examining the source of the waste (the actual processes and operations) a waste audit can identify the causes of excessive waste, as well as opportunities to reduce or eliminate it. You gain valuable data that can help you develop a more efficient waste management program.
A waste audit begins with an assessment of your business goals, typically involving what your business is focusing on and what you want to achieve with the audit. So let’s first look at waste assessment goals.
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The primary goal of a waste audit is to assess the current state of a business’s existing waste program while also uncovering opportunities to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
Other important goals are to:
Assess compliance with local and federal regulations: Some businesses must demonstrate that their waste management program follows all applicable laws and regulations before certification.
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Identify cost savings opportunities: A waste audit can identify potential ways to reduce costs associated with waste disposal, such as reducing the number of pickups or switching to a more efficient hauling service.
Increase environmental values: By pinpointing potential environmental hazards and assessing the impact of a business’s current waste program, you can gain valuable insight into how to reduce your environmental footprint.
Partnership requirements or incentives: Government incentives and other partnerships are often tied to meeting specific waste reduction targets, for example, selecting a particular type of recycling protocol or organic composting waste.
Employees and customers continuously express that they desire businesses to improve their environmental performance, leading to increased satisfaction among all parties.
With these goals in mind, you can move on to reviewing your company’s activities and policies.
A waste assessment should include an analysis of your business’s existing policies and activities. An expert will review documents, such as purchase orders and waste disposal invoices. They will also interview personnel to gain a better understanding of the current practices and walk through the premises to observe operations. This part is essential for the following reasons:
You will have a detailed overview of your waste management system once the review is complete. This will help you identify potential areas for improvement and set practical, achievable goals for reducing waste.
As you prepare for a waste stream audit, it is essential to establish the extent or the scope of your waste audit, contemplate the kind of data that needs to be collected, and allocate responsibilities regarding data collection and analysis. An expert may be needed to perform the audit, depending on the size and complexity of your business. Frontier Waste Solutions can help you develop a waste management audit plan that meets your needs.
Waste auditors should cover at least a year’s worth of waste management activities in order to provide an accurate picture of the company’s operations and performance. However, if the waste stream audit is intended to assess a certain period of time or a particular project, the scope can be adjusted accordingly.
The following are the main steps in a waste audit template:
The scope is simply the areas of business operations that require a review. It can include waste generated in production, packaging, food waste, or office waste. With a clear definition of your audit scope, you can create a list of objectives that help you focus on critical areas.
This involves gathering information about the types and quantities of waste the business generates. This may involve reviewing waste disposal records, interviewing staff, or conducting a waste sort to determine the composition of the waste. The data should be accurate, detailed, and specific to the scope of the audit.
Once you have collected the data, it’s time to review and analyze it. This includes looking for patterns in the data, identifying areas of improvement, and formulating potential solutions. Depending on the scope of your audit, you may need to calculate metrics such as total waste generated or amount diverted from landfill. To understand the impact of your efforts, you should also compare current data with historical data or other benchmarks. It’s important to communicate findings and insights to all stakeholders so that they can be taken into account in decision-making.
Based on the findings of the audit, you can create a plan to reduce waste and improve sustainability efforts. The priority action items should be based on the data and observations from the audit. For example, if you’ve identified a high volume of paper waste, a priority item may be to reduce paper usage. Meaning the focus is to reduce waste from the source, either by volume or toxicity. Some steps to consider when developing a waste reduction plan include:
Other solutions may include introducing new systems, processes, or technologies to further reduce waste. Each of these solutions should be evaluated based on their impact, feasibility, and cost. A proven structured model that has been successful in other organizations is Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Technically, there are 7Rs in this model: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Restore, and Remanufacture.
This strategy is the most effective because it stops waste from being generated in the first place. Examples of reducing waste may include:
This is the process of using an item multiple times before disposing of it. Examples of reuse may include:
You can try to maximize the recovery of materials from your waste streams. Recycling involves breaking down items into components and converting them into new materials for further use. Examples of recycling and recovery may include:
Once the plan is developed, it’s time to put it into action. Make sure that everyone involved understands the importance of implementing the plan and what their role is in doing so. Create clear timelines, assign tasks to individuals or teams, and ensure that resources are available to carry out the plan.
Improvement efforts may fail at this stage if people are not held accountable. Set up reporting, monitoring, and evaluation systems to track progress and ensure everyone is doing their part.
Identifying the right people for each task is key to successful implementation. The team should include people with diverse sets of skills and backgrounds to ensure that each task is done properly. It’s also important to have someone who can oversee the progress and ensure everyone is on track.
Celebrate success when it happens. This is a great way to motivate people and recognize their efforts, which can help create a culture of sustainability in the workplace.
Finally, review the plan regularly to ensure it is still relevant and making a difference. Make changes where necessary to improve processes and results. Share success stories and best practices with other organizations to encourage more widespread adoption of sustainable waste management practices.
Stop guessing and find out exactly how much waste your organization is producing and where it’s coming from. Waste audits are a great way to get real data about the sources and types of waste that you’re producing. This information can help you identify areas in your process where waste is being generated, as well as potential solutions.
A waste audit tells you what is working or not, helping pinpoint the most effective strategies and technologies for waste prevention. It also highlights the savings that can be made by reducing the amount of waste being produced.
The data collected can be used to track progress over time and create goals for improvement. It also provides a platform for discussing the importance of waste reduction and how to manage resources effectively. With a waste audit, you can:
Conducting a waste audit is a great way to start your sustainability journey. It can help your organization to minimize its environmental impact, save money and engage employees in the process. With the right plan in place, waste management can become a positive and rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Related reading: 6 Ways a Dumpster Protects the environment
Businesses that generate a limited amount of waste, such as a small café or retail store, might be able to create and implement their own waste management plan. The DIY audits provided by waste management companies can provide a good foundation for small businesses to start with. Why do-it-yourself though when you have the professionals at Frontier Waste Solutions standing by to do it for you?!
For waste audits with a specific objective, it is advisable to enlist the expertise of professionals such as Frontier Waste Solutions. Larger organizations and those that generate complex waste streams may benefit from professional waste audits because they can offer an experienced team that understands the complexities of waste handling, regulatory requirements, and the industry’s best practices. Our business waste solutions are perfect for every type of business at every level.
Professional waste management consultants can assess your current systems and processes, identify areas of improvement, develop tailored plans, and help you implement them. This can save time and money in the long run and ensure compliance with local regulations.
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