Eberhard to build AI-driven recycling plant

Switzerland-based circular economy pioneer Eberhard is investing in a 200 t/hr recycling plant that it says will convert mixed construction waste into valuable secondary raw materials by the autumn of 2021.

Advanced AI (artificial intelligence) and smart robotic waste sorting technologies by Finnish specialist company ZenRobotics will be used at the plant to capture high purity fractions from construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

The recycled materials are then converted into new building materials for the construction industry. Eberhard’s believes the plant will also significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and environmental pressures from resource extraction.

The plant, which is being built in Oberglatt, Switzerland, will feature a ZenRobotics sorting system that includes two parallel lines with multiple high capacity heavy duty robots on each line. The job of the robots is to capture high-value and high-purity materials from mixed construction and demolition waste. These will then be converted at the new plant into circular raw materials of equal quality as primary materials.

Construction and demolition waste is described as a considerable source of secondary waste materials worldwide. In the European Union, it makes up approximately one third of the total waste generated. The EU’s target is to recover, recycle or reuse at least 70% of this waste by the end of 2020, but at present, many of the material streams from C&D waste are, however, not suitable for reuse or high-grade recycling.

Eberhard said its investment enables the company to boost the highest quality secondary raw materials for its customers and help improve C&D recycling rates.