TOMRA showcased sensor-based sorting solutions at RWM Expo 2024

Visitors to RWM Expo 2024, which took place on 11-12 September at the NEC in Birmingham, had the opportunity to find out about TOMRA Recycling Sorting’s GAINnext applications to separate food-grade from non-food-grade plastics, as well as other world-class sensor-based sorting solutions for waste and metals on Stand ME-E200.

Directly behind Stand ME-E200, the team from TOMRA Collection was on Stand ME-E203 to showcase its latest reverse vending machine solutions for clean loop recycling of aluminium, plastic and glass beverage containers. With approximately 85,000 installations across more than 60 markets, particularly in regions with deposit return systems, TOMRA reverse vending machines capture over 46 billion used bottles and cans each year.

A key focus for TOMRA’s Recycling Sorting division at this year’s show was three new applications to separate food-grade from non-food-grade plastics for PET, PP and HDPE. GAINnext is a deep learning-based sorting add-on for TOMRA’s world-renowned AUTOSORT units. By combining sensor-based material identification and deep learning object recognition, TOMRA is the first in the industry to be able to quickly and efficiently separate food-grade from non-food-grade plastics for PET, PP and HDPE on a large scale. GAINnext has made food-grade sorting a reality – and has made it possible to achieve higher than 95% purity rPET, rPP and rHDPE – the level EU regulation requires to fulfil food safety standards.