Recycling startups use AI to recover more aluminum as prices rise

In short: As aluminum prices rise, recycling startups are using AI to sort scrap more accurately and recover more of the metal.

What's going on

Aluminum prices are up about 20% after tensions in the Gulf region, where around 10% of the world’s aluminum is made, according to TechCrunch. The U.S. government has also labeled aluminum a “critical mineral”, meaning it is important for the economy and supply can be at risk.

Even though aluminum is one of the most recycled materials in the U.S., only about 20% of it is recovered, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Startups say better sorting can pull more aluminum out of both recycling bins and regular trash.

One example is Sortera, a metals recycling company that says it has opened a second facility in Tennessee. The new site doubles its processing capacity to 240 million pounds, and the company expects 90% to 100% of that to be aluminum. Sortera uses sensors like lasers, cameras, and X-ray fluorescence (a way to “read” what a material is made of) plus AI software to identify each small piece of scrap and sort it by grade, like sorting coins by exact type instead of just by size.

Another example is Amp, which uses AI-powered sorting in waste facilities. It uses cameras, robotic arms, and air “puffers” to pick out materials as they move on conveyor belts. Amp says its system can recover specific materials, including aluminum, at over 90% accuracy.

What to watch

If these systems scale up, more aluminum could be recovered inside the U.S., which may reduce reliance on imports. A key question is whether these companies can keep accuracy high, keep costs down, and work with the messy reality that much of the aluminum is still thrown in the garbage.

Source: TechCrunch AI