Sims adds RecycleOS robots to Brooklyn MRF

Fremont, California-based EverestLabs, developer of an artificial intelligence-enabled operating system for recycling, has signed a contract to install up to eight RecycleOS-powered robotics cells at the Sims Municipal Recycling (SMR) Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Brooklyn, New York.

With four robotics cells installed in spring 2022 and additional units being planned in the coming months, North America’s largest commingled recycling facility is experiencing significant cost savings and increased materials recovery, according to EverestLabs.

New York City operates the largest curbside recycling program in the United States. As a result, SMR processes more than 300,000 tons of glass, metal and plastic generated in New York and several other municipalities in the metro region each year. New York-based SMR is the processor of 100 percent of the metal, glass and plastic and 50 percent of the paper collected by the NYC Department of Sanitation throughout the five boroughs. For SMR, this means speed, efficiency and accuracy when picking and recovering recycled materials are essential.

RELATED: MRF Operations Forum 2022: Diving deeper into the data | Investors led by the Closed Loop Leadership Fund close on SMR acquisition

EverestLabs says its robotics cells and RecycleOS technology will improve SMR’s overall materials recovery, help address the current labor shortage by augmenting human sorters and deliver actionable data that SMR can share among MRF operators, consumer packaged goods companies and packaging manufacturers.

With what it calls the smallest robotics cell footprint in the industry, EverestLabs’ robots can be installed on incline belts where it’s difficult for workers to recover materials. SMR has two robotics cells installed on its high-speed inclined belt that can increase the efficiency and accuracy of material recovery.

“EverestLabs’ RecycleOS is a critical technology for SMR to effectively recover recyclable materials from the New York metropolitan area. We are experienced operators of MRFs and users of robotics in other locations. After extensive due diligence in the [second half] of 2021, we chose EverestLabs for our Sunset Park location,” SMR General Manager Tom Ferretti says. “These installations allow us and our partners to stay committed to sustainability while also saving us on costs and [enabling us to move] move SMR’s key personnel into higher-priority positions across the plant. It is a win for NYC recycling as we are recovering more, for our team members and for plant safety and efficiency.”

By combining EverestLabs’ robotics cells with its RecycleOS AI software, MRFs can access actionable data and automation solutions that allow them to optimize their plant operations and increase their recyclable recovery rates while lowering costs, the company says. RecycleOS-powered solutions deliver 99 percent uptime, greater than 95 percent accuracy for identification and a pick success rate of more than 90 percent for robotics cells.

“Today’s landfills are overflowing with materials meant for recycling. Exacerbating this problem is the myriad of challenges faced by MRFs, from staffing issues to equipment inefficiencies and lack of real-time data to optimize recovery every minute,” EverestLabs founder and CEO JD Ambati says. “By partnering with EverestLabs, the entire SMR organization has made New York a national model for simplifying and improving materials recovery and most importantly protecting our environment. We are excited to participate in that journey.”