New York county installs robotics at MRF

Westchester County, New York, has installed new robotics equipment at its material recovery facility (MRF) in Yonkers, New York, as part of a continued effort to increase recycling rates and reduce contamination in curbside recyclables. The Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities partnered with Fremont, California-based EverestLabs to add a robotic arm and artificial intelligence- (AI-) powered optical cameras that identify common items and remove contaminants from the sorting line.

The technology is designed to improve the volume and quality of material recovered for processing and sale, the county says. The facility processes more than 65,000 tons of material each year, including aluminum, ferrous metals, cartons, plastics coded 1 through 7, plastic boat wrap, newspaper, corrugated cardboard and mixed paper.

According to Westchester County, the robotic system has an accuracy rate of about 80 percent and can pick items within a 36-inch range, completing up to 60 picks per minute. The equipment also produces data to guide operational decisions and support the county’s public education efforts.

“Westchester County has been a regional leader in recycling since the MRF opened in 1992,” County Executive Ken Jenkins says. “Investing in new technology shows our continued commitment to strong environmental stewardship. These upgrades also save money by increasing the amount of material we can recover and sell.”

“Westchester County’s recycling rate far outpaces both the national and the New York State rates,” says Louis Vetrone, first deputy commissioner of the Department of Environmental Facilities. “Our County MRF is one of the main hubs of our recycling program, where all of the refuse district’s recyclables are processed and sorted. Investing in new MRF technology, like robotic equipment, helps us increase waste diversion and removes contamination from the recyclables we sell to recyclers. This results in higher revenue and ultimately saves money for our residents.”