Sorting recycling is dirty, repetitive work, and mixed waste is hard to separate cleanly. Robots fitted with cameras and AI recognise materials such as plastics, paper and metal on a moving belt and use suction or grippers to pick them out, working quickly and without tiring.
Better sorting raises the quality of recovered material, which makes recycling more worthwhile, and spares people an unpleasant job. The machines can struggle with crushed, dirty or unusual items and need maintenance in a tough environment, so they typically work alongside human sorters, handling the high-volume, recognisable items while people deal with the awkward cases.