Plastsorter

Plastsorter is an automated plastic sorting system used in recycling facilities to separate plastic streams by polymer type, color, and contaminant content. It is commonly installed in material recovery facilities to improve feedstock purity for downstream processing, enabling higher-value recycling and more consistent quality.

Technology and components: A Plastsorter system typically includes a material handling line with feeders and conveyors, sensing subsystems, and sorting actuators. Sensing technologies often rely on near-infrared spectroscopy and optical cameras to identify polymers such as PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, and PS, sometimes supplemented by color sensors and, in advanced setups, X-ray or fluorescence scanning. Sorting is performed using air jets, diverting chutes, or robotic actuators that direct identified streams into separate bins. Control software uses real-time analysis, machine vision, and rule-based or machine-learning algorithms to coordinate classification and actuation.

Operation: Materials are fed into the sorter, where items are analyzed as they pass through the sensing zone. Based on the classification, the system directs each item or small item segment to the appropriate output stream. Common outputs include separate streams for clear PET, colored PET, HDPE, PP, and mixed plastics, with residue or contamination streams routed to disposal or pretreatment as needed. The sorted outputs can feed wash lines, pelletizers, or bottle-to-bottle processing.

Applications and benefits: Plastsorters are used in municipal and commercial recycling facilities and in plastics processing plants. They improve purity, reduce contamination, and enable higher-value recyclates. Limitations include capital cost, ongoing maintenance, and sensitivity to feedstock variability and sensor calibration.

Development and variants: Modern Plastsorters emphasize modularity and automation, with advances in multi-camera sensing, enhanced spectroscopy, and AI-driven optimization to handle complex and changing plastic streams.