A new national hub will test robots on real waste streams, helping recycling operators assess performance and potential payback before investing in automation.
Kingston University has been selected to lead the £3.6m National Waste and Recycling Robotics Adoption Hub (NORAH), funded by Innovate UK.
Announced on 9 October, the project is one of eight robotics adoption hubs within a £40m government programme. The network will support businesses and public services across sectors including manufacturing, agriculture and healthcare.
For recyclers, the challenge is whether robotic systems can work reliably with contaminated waste and materials of varying shapes and composition. Kingston says NORAH will initially focus on textiles, mixed recyclables and soft materials.
Government says hubs will offer impartial advice on the benefits, costs and practical requirements of robotics
Planned trials will measure how accurately systems identify materials, how quickly they process waste and how much they recover. Testing will use operators’ own waste samples, alongside financial modelling to assess potential payback at individual sites.
The project also plans to help operators integrate equipment into existing materials recovery facilities and train staff to work safely with the technology.
Led by Professor Vasilis Argyriou, the consortium includes the University of Kent and West London Waste Authority. Argyriou said the project aims to support more than 150 organisations and deliver operational deployments by 2030.
He said the hub would help recyclers “move proven robotics from the lab into live operations”.
Across the wider programme, the government says hubs will offer impartial advice on the benefits, costs and practical requirements of robotics, while connecting potential users with technology suppliers, equipment integrators and finance providers.
