3rd Eye introduces camera system to assist waste haulers

3rd Eye, a route optimization services company based in Downers Grove, Illinois, that is part of the Dover Environmental Solutions Group, has launched Purif-Eye, a camera system that can collect images of commercial container content and process them to identify potential contamination in recycling streams, assisting haulers in optimizing collection.

According to a news release from 3rd Eye, the images captured from Purif-Eye help fleet owners educate customers by monitoring their waste streams to reduce recycling contamination. 3rd Eye says it developed this solution to assist recycling haulers with recycling loads that were rejected at material recovery facilities (MRFs).

The company says haulers that already monitor for contamination do so at the expense of route productivity, often requiring the driver to exit the cab, flip the container lid and manually capture images.

“Getting contamination out of recycling streams is absolutely imperative to making recycling sustainable,” says Morgan Holl, Environmental Solutions Group digital vice president. “MRF technology has improved tremendously over the past couple of decades, but without addressing contamination at the point of collection, you can’t drive the behavioral change necessary to make real progress.”

The company says about 15 percent of all commercial recycling pickups are contaminated, based on data provided by several national and regional fleets. This can cost haulers up to $100 per contaminated ton.

“Collecting noncontaminated feedstock like cardboard, plastics and newspaper is both beneficial for the environment and helps haulers drive profitability,” Holl says. “At 3rd Eye, we’ve been working on technology that helps commercial haulers identify contaminated recycling, allowing them to recoup the costs associated with disposal while also providing a forum to educate their customers.”

Holl says fleets vary on the fees they charge end-users; but, based on the data collected, Purif-Eye fleets can recognize almost $6,500 of additional revenue per month for each commercial front loader assigned to recycling collection.