Artificial intelligence (AI) is not just another waste technology aimed at enhancing efficiency and improving materials recovery facility (MRF) outputs—nor is it solely about robotics. It represents much more than that, offering the industry a unique opportunity to integrate it strategically into its operations. The future of smart waste management lies in becoming data-driven—introducing AI waste analytics.
In the last year, AI waste analytics has swept across Europe. Greyparrot has expanded significantly across countries like France, Spain, Lithuania, and Italy to name just a few.
While each market has specific needs that can be addressed using AI, most facilities have two primary goals in common:
- To increase the efficiency of waste sorting
- To reduce manual labour on the facility floor
AI waste analytics digitises waste flows to pave the way for automated waste recovery, helping recovery facilities achieve both.
In Italy, organisations like GV Macero, A2A and Di Gennaro are leading the charge for AI. Greyparrot technology is mapping their journey towards dynamically-controlled recovery facilities.
They’ve already taken the first step by installing Analyzer units, using its real-time waste data to guide manual machinery and process adjustments.
Many are now ready for step two: integrating AI waste analytics with their machinery to dynamically control their facility. Some have already embraced smart robotics — but they’re just beginning the transition to fully-automated resource recovery.
Step 1: Analytics for more reactive and proactive management
Before AI, sorting facilities tracked just 1% of their material with manual sampling. Greyparrot Analyzer is helping Italian facilities gather data on the other 99%.
For A2A, that new data has a direct impact on sorting and quality:
“We needed AI-enabled machine vision to detect materials that current processes cannot. Greyparrot’s system gives us insight that is helping us maximise our material recovery and purity.” – Patrick Oungre, Head of Innovation at A2A
This year, the company introduced new features that make it even easier for facility staff to turn data into efficient action:
Unlocking lean operations with the Facility Dashboard
Recently, Greyparrot customers got a live view of their entire plant’s performance with the Analyzer portal’s new Facility Dashboard.
Managers use it to monitor operations, and get instant feedback when they adjust key processes.
For example: if the Facility Dashboard shows that sorting accuracy is dropping on a specific line, staff can spot the issue at the blink of an eye and, for example reduce throughput until they balance productivity and product quality.
That kind of insight is already vital for Greyparrot’s Italian customers:
“We’re now finding that AI is absolutely essential to our vision of more autonomous, intelligent and profitable recovery facilities.” – Sergio Vavassori, Owner of GV Macero SPA
Boosting product quality and avoiding losses with Alerts
Waste flows change every minute. To help facility managers react faster, Analyzer’s Alerts feature notifies staff whenever there is an unexpected change in purity. A major Alerts update launched this year, enabling managers to adapt even faster, reduce losses and maximise plant capacity:
New Alerts for specific materials, overall mass and item counts notify staff when certain materials spike, or throughput drops. They take targeted action in response.
Facilities display specific Alerts dashboards next to relevant belts, or send email and text notifications so staff can take direct action. New reports for past Alerts also help users spot trends, driving proactive maintenance and data-driven investment in machinery.
Quick reactions are extremely valuable, as well as analytics for more proactive management:
Step 2: Dynamic control, coordinated by AI
Many of Greyparrot’s customers use Analyzer data to make a business case for sorting automation. They believe the trends point towards automated facilities, guided by AI:
“This is the beginning of a process that is directed towards improving recycling. The real kind, and not the hypothetical kind.” – Sergio Vavassori, Owner of GV Macero SPA
Now, Greyparrot is helping them take the next step — using AI to control automated sorting tools.
The company’s global partners are already using Greyparrot Sync integrations to connect their tools with live AI waste analytics. The result is a new wave of sorting systems that are dynamically controlled by Analyzer data.
For example, real-time Analyzer data guides robotic sorting arms towards specific objects. AI enables robots to pick accurately, and to automate material recovery.
Data-driven machinery investment
Each waste stream presents unique challenges, though. In some cases, robotic arms won’t improve sorting: objects too small to be picked, high throughput rates, flexible plastics and more make robotics a bad fit.
Facility managers need insight into the material on each conveyor belt to decide whether AI-driven robotic arms, airjets or other machines are best suited to improve sorting. Waste data is essential when identifying the right tool for each belt.
Dynamic facility control
Sync integrations can also coordinate an entire facility’s sorting tools, paving the way for dynamic control.
Greyparrot is working with software partners to embed their AI in a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. SCADA systems connect to different industrial tools, making it possible to control an entire facility’s machinery with real-time Analyzer data.
Instead of manually adjusting processes and machinery, Sync integrations will dynamically adjust machinery as waste flows change — extracting maximum value from material.
Reducing lost value: An example use-case for dynamic control:
- Analyzer detects a spike in valuable material on a facility’s residue line.
- Analyzer sends a signal to a SCADA system via a Sync integration.
- The SCADA system sends a signal to a bag opener at the start of the sorting process.
- The bag opener slows the rate of material being fed into the facility so that the issue can be diagnosed and resolved before losses grow.
Step into the new era of resource recovery with Greyparrot Analyzer
Greyparrot’s partners and customers in Italy believe that fully-automated facilities are only a few steps away:
“With the integration of artificial intelligence in waste sorting plants, we will experience the birth of a ‘new era’ that will definitely strengthen the circular economy.” – Simone Pagani, Owner of Rixera SRL, agent Greyparrot Italy
Together with Rixera, the AI waste analytics developer is helping businesss like GV Macero, A2A and Di Gennaro get a head start on the new era of waste sorting.
To join them — and see live demos of Greyparrot Analyzer — visit one of the company’s upcoming events:
- Greyparrot will be in Rimini for Ecomondo Expo. Find them in Hall A4, at Stand 208
- Their team will also attend Pollutec 2024 in Paris. They will be hosting visitors at Stand J037.
Learn more at greyparrot.ai
