Waste sorting robots make recycling more efficient

Debag Zurich site processes 180,000 tonnes of construction waste and bulky household waste annually. Spross recycles waste by sorting it and sending it to different material recovery facilities in Switzerland where the waste can be reused.

Debag Spross AG entered in cooperation with ZenRobotics in order to increase the efficiency of their waste recycling. The robot has been retrofitted and it is a perfect fit for the plant.

„We are working 13 meters above ground and it’s remarkable how these robots work perfectly in these difficult surroundings. This environment is dusty, it is not heated and the ground vibrates all the time“, Josef Binzegger, the Executive Director of Transport and Recycling at Debag Spross AG, says.

Because the waste sorting robots work so well under challenging circumstances, they have increased work safety by replacing manual labor. Thanks to the robot’s high-performance and reliability, people have been able to increase their own productivity.

Binzegger is astonished by how well the robot can differentiate between various kinds of materials with a single arm. The waste sorting robot can sort up to 4 different types of fractions and can be programmed to detect new sorts of waste simply by running the waste through it and telling the robot that this item needs to be collected. 

ZenRobotics allows Spross to keep up with legal and commercial requirements and is able to adapt to waste regulation changes with ease. The waste sorting robot is also very easy to use via a touch screen. 

„If you know how to use an iPhone, you also know how to use this robot with no difficulties“, Binzegger ensures.