CIWM Early Careers Ambassador Laura Fisher, Contract Operations Manager at FCC Environment, explains how AI is powering a recycling revolution in the UK.
By Spring 2027, the UK will have completed the introduction and rollout of Simpler Recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – the most significant waste management reform in over a decade.
To achieve these goals, we need more than just policy; we need innovation. This is where AI can be embraced to establish a more sustainable and smarter waste system.
But before exploring the integration and impact of AI, it’s worth recapping what these reforms will look like for the c.150,000 people employed in our sector.
Simpler Recycling and EPR
Simpler Recycling mandates consistent waste collections across England within both businesses and households, ensuring that everyone separately collects residual, food, paper/card and dry recyclables with the aim to boost the UK’s municipal recycling rate to 65% by 2035.
EPR, on the other hand, shifts the financial burden of packaging waste from the taxpayer to the packaging producers. Recyclable material being used within packaging will be incentivised to help boost recycling rates and then reduce the reliance we still have on landfill.
So, what can AI do for us as we adopt these new measures? For years, the waste industry has relied on humans for sorting, but advancements in AI have led to the potential for more automated sorting.
AI in waste sorting
Traditional sorting is labour-intensive, and these roles are becoming harder to employ. The option of AI and robotics can ensure that waste facilities are adequately staffed and operating 24/7.
With an increase in the amount of waste being collected and the need for it to be sorted as efficiently and quickly as possible, it is important to utilise every hour of every day where possible.
AI can also see what a human eye can’t. AI-powered systems can identify and sort plastic with more accuracy than the human eye, as they can identify specific properties associated with different plastic types. AI can even spot hazardous materials like batteries and alert staff to the danger before it starts a fire, saving time, money and keeping workers safe.
AI technology is constantly learning and adapting, and will continue to support the goal of Simpler Recycling as materials and composition change, helping to ensure that our waste is recycled and not rejected.
AI in logistics
AI can help ensure that all the increased collections required following the introduction of Simpler Recycling are planned efficiently, sustainably and of course, safely! In the German city of Reutlingen, dust carts have recently been equipped with cameras and AI sensors to spot contamination in compost bins.
This technology, if introduced in the UK, will not only lead to improved waste output, but it will also reduce the risk of fires from batteries or vapes or an entire bin of recyclables being rejected because of one rogue non-recyclable item.
AI bin sensors can also monitor fill levels, which can help plan collections, reducing wasted journeys and ensuring that the public have constant access to dispose of their waste and ensuring that no valuable recycling is missed due to bins being too full.
AI in EPR compliance
Within the new EPR scheme, more responsibility is being passed to packaging producers to track the entire lifecycle of their packaging and accurately report on its recyclability. For some mass producers, this is a mammoth, data-heavy task that may seem almost impossible without the help of AI.
AI can help to forecast trends which will support businesses in planning and designing sustainable strategies. AI will also help to track their materials throughout the supply chain, which will provide the transparency required to ensure that EPR is a success and that all the reporting and fee calculations are correct across the board.
AI in circular economy
Circular economy is all about reusing, remanufacturing or recycling as many materials as possible, rather than discarding them. AI can be utilised to identify any reusable components within waste streams, for example, inside black bags going into the back of dustcarts or at recycling centres, to alert staff to possible contamination and where to target education to residents.
AI & the future of waste
The upcoming waste and resource reforms in the UK represent a new opportunity for innovation and technological advancements in AI that need to be embraced to create a more sustainable future.
AI can make Simpler Recycling and EPR systems more efficient, transparent and sustainable, which will benefit not only the environment but businesses and local councils alike.