Emerging data-collecting technology and analytic tools are creating operation efficiencies across the full spectrum of the recycling industry, from waste generators and curbside collection facilities to downstream buyers.
Downstream purchasers have had to rely on material composition generalizations to determine bale values before sorting and processing revealed actual yields, leading to significant daily revenue losses. Enter quality-control technologies that combine photography, data-collection, and analytics and can efficiently inspect tons of incoming materials, providing real-time, hard data that can be used for immediate action.
This technology can aid in immediate pricing of materials based on quality yields rather than initial weigh-ins and will determine future business partnerships. Buyers aren’t, however, using quality audits to punish suppliers; rather, audits serve as an opportunity to improve material worth and acceptance rates.
Improving quality at the source is especially vital seeing as China’s stringent National Sword campaign will continue to affect US recovered material exports at least through 2018, with the prospect of outright material bans on the horizon. We can help you through this process. Please contact one of our representatives today for more information about National Sword and we will navigate you through it.
Point of origin: waste generators and collection facilities improve quality though tracking
Analytic technologies are being installed at multiple points in the recycling line, including commercial generators, such as retail outlets and manufacturers, and MRFs, allowing quality tracking before processing begins.
Equipment, such as cameras and scales, can be modified to fit balers and other machinery and used to collect data, including:
- photographs of materials
- actual weight
- date and time bales are made
- quality of the materials inside the bale
- bale destinations
Software can gather this data and send it via cloud to data analytics centers.
From label makers to material processors, analytics increase quality across the industry
Plastic bale audits have inspired conversations across the industry. Recycling stakeholders have invited label makers and plastic packaging brand owners to discussions tackling the issue of bale quality. Some labels, for example, simply cannot be separated from containers during processing, while polypropylene containers may be contaminated with too much filler. Discussions aim to improve quality at the source of manufacturing.
If you’d like to learn more about these emerging quality-tracking technologies and how they’re affecting the recycling industry, contact us today.
Berg Mill Supply Co works with companies along the full spectrum of recycling, from commercial generators operating recycling programs for added profit to companies whose sole business is recycling. If you want to learn more about technologies to achieve operational efficiencies, please feel free to contact us! Developing and implementing creative recycling solutions is our specialty!
