Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Automated Waste Sorting at the Point of Disposal
EPA Contract Number: 68HERC22C0020Title: Automated Waste Sorting at the Point of Disposal
Investigators: Yhap, Charles
Small Business: CleanRobotics, Inc
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: December 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022
Project Amount: $99,640
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I (2022) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Improper sorting and excessive contamination have prevented effective recycling and composting programs in large public facilities. According to the EPA, only 32% of recyclables are recovered. While sorting technology is available for material recovery facilities, collecting clean, valuable materials at facilities remains challenging. Environmental teams at major public facilities strongly need insightful data and sorting at the point of disposal to achieve zero waste.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
This project successfully reduced contamination in the recycling and compost streams by 95%. CleanRobotics TrashBot technology provided 300% more accurate sorting when compared to the public using conventional trash receptacles. Using data collected by TrashBot, the hospital realized its top 5 landfill items should be replaced by compostable materials, resulting in a 50% increase in their diversion rate.
The data collected by TrashBot provided on-demand waste audits, carbon abatement calculations, and identified contaminated items. With these insights, educational content was derived, impacting more than 240,000 visitors during the 3-month performance period.
Conclusions:
This Phase I project successfully shows that a facility can immediately achieve a 25% diversion rate with TrashBot, and upwards of a 50% diversion rate by introducing compostable alternatives. The work carried out during this pilot will continue to influence diversion rates and accelerate sustainable long-term purchasing at the facility. Looking to the future, the facility will increase the number of TrashBots deployed as they improve recovery rates - identify and eliminate zero waste challenges across their campus.
SBIR Phase II:
Robotic, Artificial intelligence (AI) Powered Trash System for Facility Sorting and Auditing Waste and Educating Transient PopulationsThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.