AI-Powered Recycling: AMP Raises $91 Million

AI is stepping up to address human laziness and stagnant recycling rates in the U.S., as reported on Sunday by The Register. The company recently secured $91 million in Series D funding to expand its deployment of AI-equipped AMP ONE systems.

These systems are designed to assist municipal solid waste (MSW) and recycling operators in improving efficiency and reducing labor-intensive tasks. “All sorts of things… come across the conveyor belt—diapers, bowling bowls, dead animals and more,” AMP spokesperson Carling Spelhaug told The Register.

This AI identifies and sorts through this diverse waste stream, a task that has become increasingly necessary as U.S. recycling rates stagnate. AMP’s AI employs deep learning to refine its capabilities by analyzing millions of material images.

Using pattern recognition to detect colors, textures, shapes, sizes, and logos, the system identifies recyclables and contaminants in real time, enabling advanced material processing and new recycling opportunities.

The company initially introduced sorting robots designed for seamless integration into existing recycling facilities. Building on this, AMP developed next-generation recycling facilities that revolutionized the industry.

These facilities operate with minimal manual sorting, exceptional reliability, and extensive data insights, making material recovery safer and more cost-efficient.

This innovation has even extended to municipal solid waste (MSW) sorting, a milestone previously unattainable in the recycling sector before AMP’s technological advancements. This innovation comes at a time where recycling is becoming more pressing.

Indeed, data from the EPA shows that in 2018, only about 32% of recyclable and compostable materials were processed. More recent figures from The Recycling Partnership reveal even lower participation, with just 21% of residential recyclables being properly sorted in early 2024, reported The Register.

Recycling is not only underutilized but also expensive, requiring specialized equipment, facilities, and human labor.

Sorting lines often depend on workers to remove hazardous and non-recyclable items, a job that is both unpleasant and dangerous. High turnover and chronic understaffing further exacerbate these challenges, as noted by The Register.

AI systems like AMP ONE are designed to address this by automating much of the sorting process.At a Recycling and Disposal Solutions (RDS) facility in Virginia, AMP ONE maintained over 90% uptime, avoiding frequent shutdowns for manual intervention, reported The Register.

The system enabled the facility to divert over 60% of landfill-bound materials when combined with organics management and mixed recyclables sorting, reported The Register.

“With near-zero manual sorting, unprecedented reliability, and pervasive data, these facilities make the recovery of commodities safer and more cost-effective,” AMP stated.