Designed for remote areas, this innovative solution sets a new standard in decentralized waste recovery for a wide range of new applications.
AIMPLAS has worked on the equipment's operational requirements, the evaluation and selection of available technological options in the market, and the monitoring of its performance.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
Waste management in remote areas, or where waste generation temporarily increases, makes it difficult to justify large-scale infrastructure development. To address this, the RECLAIM project has developed a low-cost, portable, AI-powered robotic material recovery plant, which will initially be deployed in the Greek Islands. The equipment can be seen in operation in this video and will soon be operating at full capacity.
The RECLAIM solution uses multiple robots with different types of pickers to efficiently collect and handle various types of waste according to their composition. Additionally, AI-powered computer vision can accurately identify waste, allowing the robots to maximize sorting effectiveness. Integrated within a portable container, these innovations will significantly enhance local-scale material recovery activities. This portable equipment can be deployed anywhere, facilitating material recovery close to the source and increasing recycling opportunities to promote a circular economy for plastics.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, has participated in the plant's launch by ensuring that the equipment's operational requirements were clearly defined, evaluating available technological options in the market to select the most suitable components, and leading the monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs), proposing solutions and adjustments to ensure that the established objectives are met.
Javier Grau, a researcher in Mechanical Recycling at AIMPLAS, who is participating in the project, highlighted that “remote islands, hard-to-reach rural areas, or regions with limited infrastructure are just some scenarios where this equipment can make a significant difference. Additionally, the equipment also serves as an ideal solution for large-scale events such as festivals, concerts, or sports competitions, where massive waste generation in one place requires immediate treatment. It can also complement existing recycling plants in tourist areas that face significant population fluctuations during peak seasons.”
Decentralized recovery for a wide range of applications
This equipment stands out for its compact design, integrated into an easily transportable container, allowing for rapid deployment almost anywhere. “As recycling needs evolve, this portable equipment promises to unlock new possibilities. For example, it could facilitate marine waste management in port areas, improving material sorting and separation while reducing environmental impact. Another relevant application is its potential to assist existing sorting plants in processing bioplastics, whose presence is increasing. These materials pose a challenge to current recycling streams, but their recovery could have a significant impact in the future,” added Javier Grau.
The project consortium, funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 program, consists of three research and technology organizations, two universities, a Regional Authority, a Producer Responsibility Organization, a robotics company, an innovation management company, and an International Association. The consortium members, led by FORTH – Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (Greece), include: AIMPLAS, Axia Innovation (Germany), ION (Greece), IRIS (Spain), HRRC – Hellenic Recovery and Recycling Corporation (Greece), KU Leuven (Belgium), Robenso – Environmental Robotic Solutions (Greece), ISWA – International Solid Waste Association (Netherlands), and UoM – University of Malta (Malta).
The RECLAIM Project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under Grant Agreement No: 101070524.
About AIMPLAS
At AIMPLAS, we help companies apply circular economy criteria to their business model and turn the legislative changes that affect the plastics industry into opportunities to improve company efficiency, reduce environmental impact and increase economic profitability. To this end, we do research in areas such as recycling, biodegradable materials and products, and the use of biomass and CO2 with the aim of developing innovative solutions that help solve current environmental challenges.
