Michigan county MRF installs 3 robots

The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) has installed three recycling robots from Colorado-based Amp Robotics at its Recycling and Education Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The equipment was acquired with grant funding from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).

“By implementing these new technologies, the DPW continues to be on track to achieve our goal of reducing landfill waste,” says Dar Baas, director of Kent County DPW. “At the DPW, we are continuously innovating and implementing practices that increase our efficiency, improve safety, reduce landfill waste, and provide an overall better environment for Kent County residents.”

Installed June 9, the robots use artificial intelligence (AI) to sort materials, capturing recyclables.

“We’re excited to expand our footprint in Michigan and bring the latest advancements in AI-driven automation to Kent County DPW,” says Jeremy Neigher, general manager of Amp Robotics’ technology solutions group. “Our partnership will help the DPW identify and recover recyclables at a faster rate and with greater precision.”

The DPW also installed eddy current technology to recover nonferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, and lead at the Recycling and Education Center.

Amp says the robots and the eddy current technology are resulting in higher quality recyclables and a more efficient process for diverting these materials from the landfill.

With the current labor shortage, the robots and eddy current are important for the DPW to reach its goal of reducing landfill waste by 90 percent by 2030, the company adds.

The Kent County Department of Public Works provides municipal solid waste disposal services to residential and commercial customers through various facilities and programs, including the Recycling and Education Center, North Kent Transfer Station, South Kent Landfill and a waste-to-energy facility.