Machinex develops Montreal-Est MRF in collaboration with Éco Entreprises Québec

Machinex Technologies, Plessisville, Quebec, has designed, manufactured and installed a material recovery facility (MRF) in Quebec in collaboration with Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ), the designated management organization (DMO) under the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework.

As the DMI, ÉEQ oversees the curbside recycling system on behalf of producers—planning, coordinating and optimizing all collection and processing operations. A key aspect of this transition to EPR is raising performance and quality standards for recycling facilities, ensuring the optimal recovery and valorization of recyclables.

The Montreal-Est MRF has been operational since Jan. 2, 2025, and can process 52 tons of residential single-stream recyclables per hour, which Machinex says makes it “the largest and most technologically advanced recycling facility in Quebec.” The MRF has an annual capacity of 200,000 tons and is operated by Matrec, a division of GFL Environmental (Matrec - GFL). Machine designed the system to meet today’s needs in the Montreal-Est region but also to evolve to meet future demands.

"At Matrec – GFL, our vision is to be Green for Life,” says Yazan Kano, vice president, strategy, for Eastern Canada at Matrec – GFL. “This is at the core of our corporate strategy and central to the work we do every day.

“This new sorting facility reflects our commitment to finding sustainable solutions that enhance material circularity, helping our communities envision a greener future.”

Pierre Paré, president and owner of Machinex, says, “At Machinex, we are proud of our roots. We built the first MRF in Quebec, so contributing to improving recycling ‘at home,’ especially through a modernization of this magnitude, has special meaning for our team.”

The project was designed, manufactured, delivered and fully operational within just 15 months, Machinex says, adding that that was possible because of effective communication and strong collaboration among all project stakeholders.

"Despite the tight schedule, the construction progressed smoothly thanks to the close coordination between Matrec - GFL, Machinex and general contractor, Construction Bertrand Dionne (CBD),” says Sébastien Labonté, project manager at CBD, which also is based in Quebec. “We implemented rigorous project management strategies, held weekly meetings and adopted an approach focused on actively finding solutions whenever one of the three parties faced an unexpected event. This enabled us to deliver the project within the best possible timeline.”

The system can sort cartons, glass, plastics (film, polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene and mixed), various grades of fibers and ferrous and nonferrous metals. It integrates approximately 15 proprietary technologies, including 17 Mach Hyspec optical sorters. As the technological heart of the MRF, this equipment enables the separation of targeted materials at a rate of 3,000 ejections per minute, leveraging hyperspectral detection technology combined with Mach Vision artificial intelligence, Machinex says.

Mechanical and hydraulic equipment also are integrated into the system, including Mach Ballistic separators, a glass cleaning system and a plastic film extractor. Additionally, it features high-capacity Machinex balers, including a II-RAM baler and two single-ram balers.

The system also incorporates the latest addition to the company’s presort equipment solutions, the Mach Screw Screen, which mechanically presorts incoming materials through size-based separation, reducing manual sorting and enhancing safety by eliminating hazardous bulkly and small items. With two patent pending innovations, it features independent deck angle adjustments and a double-deck design, improving sorting accuracy, according to the manufacturer. It also minimizes labor-intensive tasks, allowing employees to transition to more technical roles.

David Marcouiller, vice president of sales engineering at Machinex, says, "This ambitious project, which marks a turning point in the history of recycling in Quebec, was approached differently during the design phase to meet the requirements of EPR. Among the challenges considered were the recovery rates, the system's flexibility to adapt to future unknown factors and the number of various types of materials that needed to be sorted within the system.”