Recovering valuable paper and cardboard from residual waste, an AI-powered sorting system from Recycleye has achieved 97% output purity at NEWS Recycling in Norwich, UK, part of the Norse Group, following installation nd commissioning in a single weekend.

The QuantiSort 2.0 unit uses computer vision to identify individual objects on a conveyor in real time, distinguishing fibre from plastics, metals and other residual materials. Unlike systems relying mainly on colour or density, its item-level detection helps separate paper and cardboard from films, flexible plastics and small contaminants that can be difficult to sort.

🔧 A targeted air-jet system ejects contaminants rather than the recoverable fibre, helping reduce compressed-air consumption and preventing valuable material from being diverted into the reject stream.

Installed at the end of the facility’s sorting line, the unit recovers fibre that would otherwise be lost to residue. It was integrated with existing conveyors without an extended shutdown or major modifications to the line.

📡 Remote monitoring provides four live camera feeds covering the infeed, both ejection points and the outfeed, allowing plant operators and Recycleye’s engineers to check sorting performance without being physically present on the sorting platform.

The technology offers material recovery facilities (MRFs) a way to increase saleable fibre output while reducing residual waste disposal. As packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) increases the focus on actual material recovery, improving output quality is becoming increasingly important for UK recycling operators.

Source: Recycleye