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Abstract
The objective for this 'robotics for recycling' proposal is to develop an economically
exploitable robotized plant model, that can sort hundred percent of the municipal waste
stream. The plant is proposed to be fitted with new robotic systems specifically
developed for recycling and new robotics for recycling solutions developed in the
course of the project.
COCREATIONS.SPACE
Table of contents
Introduction. P 3
Objectives P 6
Methodology... P 7
Ambition.. P 11
Business plan P 17
Conclusion P 42
Appendix P 44
2
Introduction
1
Max AI
2
real recycling rates at the input to the final recycling process. To truly drive circularity in Europe, it is essential that
material is only considered recycled once it enters the final production process and is actually reprocessed.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/sustainable-dev/news/meps-bolster-eu-recycling-and-landfill-targets/
3
http://www.pellencst.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Pellenc-Selective-Technologies1.pdf
4
http://www.pellencst.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Pellenc-Selective-Technologies1.pdf
3
Only recently have robotic developments re-focused on
municipal recycling
applications, the first
commercial robot was launched
by BHS-Nihot a few months
ago, the MAX AI robot can do
65 picks per minute5. The MAX
AI was developed in
partnership with Sadako technologies,
BHS, AMP and the carton council.
Other concrete developments are being carried out by DTI,
who is currently developing a robot grabbing arm for grabbing
contents6; rather than a scala model or spider robot. There are
many innovations to be made in robotics recycling technologies
including: non contact technologies using vacuum air tubing, adaptable grabbing
systems, inspection systems, plant set up, machine combination, and ofcourse
increasing grabbing speeds. Another key difference is that one robotic arm can
separate/collect up six types of waste, whereas an optical conveyor belt can only
sort two types of waste.
The proposed pilot plant will consist of a large four part connected section with a 30
metre circular belt, capable of fitting the 4 MAX-AI robots, 5 air vacuum delta robots,
2 robotic arms, 3 linear motion modules and inspection
technologies. The optimal combination of robotics modules
will be developed during the research
phase where new robotic systems
will be piloted. This includes adding
robots with a non contact vacuum
tubing system directly to the baling
8
and transport container , integrating a roof of sonic and
conductive sensors and an x-ray machine. There would
also be two linear motion
modules: the first two linear
motion modules will be moving
in opposite directions to
reposition contents or to scrape
5
https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2017/04/25/latest-innovation-mrf-robotics-rolls/
6
https://www.dti.dk/specialists/robots-with-super-senses-to-sort-waste-for-recycling/36763
http://innosort.teknologisk.dk/aktiviteter.aspx
7
Brochure Max-AI
8
http://www.poettinger-oneworld.at/en_en/Produkte/Kategorie/105/multipress-press-container
4
left over contents off the belt. This would enable the belt to remain compact in a
circular manner and be fitted only with an inflow section.
The project will measure successful outcomes by the speed of the robotics grabbing
capacity, the potential economic return of the robotics pilot plant and its niche
functioning compared to a standard plant with optical sorting and other machinery.
If a robotics sorting plant can be built that can produce more economically in certain
niche capacities, rather than the industry standard technologies whom produce
larger quantities, its introduction can increase recycling rates; aid in reindustrializing
EUs production of raw materials9 and increase the supply raw materials to the local
final recycling industry.
9
In a context of scarcity and fluctuating costs of raw materials, circular economy contributes to security of supply and the
reindustrialization of the country.
http://saeegroup.com.es/en/iniciatives-ue/
5
Objectives
1. On the research premises, integrate the initial system with robotics, vision and
collection equipment.
3. To develop programming codes for the robotic arms to grab and allocate
contents in the fastest optimal manner. This also includes selecting optimal
grabber modules or successfully developing new grabbing modules.
5. Once objectives one to four have been achieved and shown niche economic
advantages over a standard larger municipal plant; it is the objective to
commercialize and offer the entire solution to existing sorting centres,
municipalities and local investors.
The return of investment on robotized plant will determine the projects impact, if able
to provide an above market returns model, it could attract competitors and associate
franchise investors.
6
Methodology
Activity one consists of first developing the digital CAD model of the plant and then
using that CAD model for the construction of the actual research plant, to install it
with: working Max-AI robotics modules, new robotic systems, conveyor belts, vision
systems, x-ray baggage scanner vision systems, robotic computer systems,
operating software, remote access systems and collection systems, where the
project will move from concept to laboratory.
Activity two will consist of developing the optimal sorting solution that can sort the
entire municipal waste stream, using only a combination of robotic systems,
grabbers, linear motion, bag cutter and inspection technologies. With 4 max AIs 24
different types of content can be
selected, limited to: the material,
grabbing shape and positioning of the
item. With an x-ray scanning and
conductive sensors other material can be
scanned such as organics, different
types of metal, wood, electronics, and
different quality categories10 can be
classed.
X-ray systems could be more accurate
and diverse than vision system for
inspecting the conveyor belts contents.
An x-ray scan can reference the position
to a gravity position with the 3D camera
recognition matching software.
10
some bottles can be contaminated with liquid still inside; cans can have cigarette filters or other contents inside. Paper and
aluminum can be contaminated with organics. It might be able to detect this using an x-ray scan or by the increase in energy
usage (weight) when lifting a standard item.
7
Every week the university research institutes participating in the consortium will be
able to select 3-5 hour slots where they can test their prewritten codes and work on
building new codes during the session. Remote access from distance will be
provided by tools such as the AWAbot and teamviewer. During the session the
university can control the robotics, vision, conductive & sonar sensors and x-ray
inspection system, conveyor belt and have different distant access viewing points.
Activity three is the crossing point of the project to determine whether the project
should continue or not.
The current plan of implementation for the newly developed robotics modules; is to
combine them with optical sorters to remove the need for human contact after optical
sorting.11
Activity three can start when the entire municipal waste stream can be sorted and
the robotized plant shows there is an economic investment niche for smaller,
simpler, less capacity, decentralized plants.
Activity three will consist of developing a replicable franchise model, establishing:
municipal license applications, EPR reward claiming procedure, personnel tasks,
managing daily operations, continuous operation, managing supply channels,
transport logistics, managing sales channels, optimizing the plant design,
components and functioning.
In order to build a functioning replicable pilot plant, several components will need to
be added: storage containers, bag cutters, AGVs, additional robotics, transport
presser containers and transport trucks.
Activity four consists of the initial commercialization of the replicable plant done by
11
8
the new consortium firm owned by the consortium: whose core business will be
bringing the whole system solution of a automated robotized 100% municipal waste
sorting plant, onto the investment market. The pilot plants proof of concept will be
used to attract offers to install new plants, from local private investors12 and
municipalities13.
Activity five will consist of marketing and commercializing the project by setting up
and managing new commercial plants. This will include working with local
municipalities to select plant locations and provide guidance with schemes such as
the EDRF14. In later stages we intend to stimulate private investment by offering
crowd equity and crowd lending in new proposed plants.
12
European Investment bank, local infrastructure investments, angel investors, local investment banks, and crowd equity
investors will be targeted by writing the neighbors a letter with the investment opportunity to buy equity in new plants, in
some cases potentially funding the plant before it is constructed.
13
The municipality has the responsibility for the collection of household municipal waste
P7 Uitvoeringsprogramma VANG - Huishoudelijk Afval
the motivation of citizens, the creation of knowledge, facilities for waste separation, is an important task for
municipalities.
P15 Uitvoeringsprogramma VANG - Huishoudelijk Afval
14
https://www.fi-compass.eu/esif/erdf
9
Ambition
10
25,000 in hardware costs, albeit its separation occurring at a slower yet probably
more diverse and accurate rate.
The most advanced municipal waste sorting/recycling plants on the market today,
employ a large multitude of complex large machines connected by multiple conveyor
belts and often requires final manual sorting techniques.18 An robotics plant on the
other hand would use only compact robotics; considerably reducing plant size and
complexity.
The robotics for recycling solution provides a completely new approach to recycling
municipal waste, that if economically superior in niches could be disruptive
technology. The ambition is to build an economic model with fast return, by using a
combination of only robotic systems to sort waste: for distributed and smaller plants,
differing from the central large fast plants today.
18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCYtbN-iGLM
http://www.machinexrecycling.com/products/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kt_OgiMpjo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFwAAAz5r_8
11
Relation to the work programme
The proposal relates to several objectives of the Horizon 2020 work program,
including the aspect of it being an innovative proposal. At present there are no
municipal waste sorting plants that employ solely robotics system to separate waste,
even though several robotics modules have
been implemented as complementary tools this
year. Entire plants using only robotics to sort
waste is solely provided by Zen robotics, but
their plants only sort demolition waste and not
municipal waste.
An consortium in
the U.S. funded by the carton council; developed a
new spider robot during a pilot project in 2016-201719.
The developed Max-AI robot, has phenomenal
speed; being able to pick 60 items a minute with a
payback period of one year.20 The Max-AI is now
being
implement in
the first commercial plant in Minnesota21.
The Max-AI is manufactured and owned by
BHS22.
The Max-AI spider recycling robot licensed
their Sadako AI software23 from
Barcelonas Sadako technologies24. Sadako technologies has also developed the
Wall-B an Scara robot using compressed air suction to pluck things from the belt25
thats been implemented in three commercial plants.26
19
https://www.amprobotics.com/single-post/2017/03/22/AMP-Robotics-Partners-with-Carton-Council-and-Alpine-to-Make-
Carton-Recycling-More-Efficient
20
https://www.amprobotics.com
21
https://www.amprobotics.com/single-post/2017/08/29/AMP-Robotics-announces-a-second-recycling-robot-using-
artificial-intelligence-is-being-installed-to-recover-food-and-beverage-cartons
22
http://www.bulkhandlingsystems.com
23
http://www.sadako.es/?p=2044&lang=en
24
who has previously obtained an SME instrument to fund the research
25
https://www.fastcompany.com/3052355/once-robots-are-sorting-the-recycling-the-economics-all-change
26
https://www.fastcompany.com/3052355/once-robots-are-sorting-the-recycling-the-economics-all-change
27
https://phys.org/news/2014-11-robots-e-waste.html
12
Centre28, Conestoga college29, Project LIAM30 and DTI31
The proposed project intends to integrate the newly developed robotics technologies,
work on improving them and prepare them for an entire
commercial solution in new plants.
The project will also focus on developing new robotic
systems for sorting other municipal waste, focusing on pin
grabbers and non contact grabber technologies such as
vacuum systems for organics, small papers, plastics,
aluminium and other contents that are currently cannot be
grabbed by air suction grabbers.
The proposed project relates to the work program in the manner of an eco-
innovation, to produce an best of practise industrial readiness solution contributing
to the raw materials challenge by generating a sustainable supply of raw materials
for industry.
The proposal will be submitted to H2020 topic Boosting the potential of small
businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw
materials32 or similar call33 to obtain an SME instrument for industrial leadership.
The relevant TRL level for robotics for recycling technologies has been shown by
the prototypes build by Sadako and BHS-Nihot. Having built technologies with a
TRL, level 9-7 with the actual system proven in an operational environment albeit
not yet with a competitive manufacturing price. Other technologies we intend to
integrate in the pilot plant will have lower TRL levels 6-2, in particular; belt cleaning
linear motion, vacuum tube technologies and x-ray scan sensor inspection
technologies.
28
http://smart.unsw.edu.au/research-end-end-micro-recycling-using-intelligent-robots-close-e-waste-loop
29
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/e-recycling-technology-innovators-what-i-learned-from-rafael-reveles
30
http://mashable.com/2016/03/21/apple-liam-recycling-robot/#TMYt494aF5qX
31
https://www.dti.dk/specialists/robots-with-super-senses-to-sort-waste-for-recycling/36763
http://innosort.teknologisk.dk/aktiviteter.aspx
32
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/smeinst-11-2016-2017.html
33
P22, see chapter: Proposals topic application
13
Data management plan
The proposed project will work with existing technologies and implement TRL 9
technologies that are already working, there is no need to invent the wheel twice.
The Max-AI can identify a wide range of materials and can air suction grab
recyclable containers & small residue in either quality control or recovery positions.
The contents that the Max-AI can already grab wont be targeted for new
implementations unless during the project there will be a good reason to do so.
It will be requested to preview the MAX AI sadako cloud up to a point where the
owning institute is willing to allow their technology to be shared with others without it
affecting IP infringement, and where it would, the owner would indicate appropriate
royalties for the new consortium firm to pay. It will be requested for the Max-AI to be
operational with the software so that optimum combinations can be found with other
robotic system to sort the entire stream.
Other newly developed data will be the identification of other materials currently not
inspected, new robotics modules, new grabber modules, sorting different quality
levels and new plant infrastructure.
Developing the new solutions in combination with the already working solutions of
the Max-AI will be done by the university robotics labs, whom will be given access to
a restricted knowledge sharing platform where they can share and build knowledge
on each others findings.
The research institutes will be working in a closed communications system, similar to
a forum only visible when logged in, with different forum topics available for:
inspection systems, robotics programming control, intercommunications, artificial
intelligence and other topics posted in the course of the project. Users can interact
on the forum, post on each others solutions, raise questions, request help and start
new topics. This should enable the institutes to work together in an open transparent
manner to rapidly build the applications and preview who is doing most of the work.
Post access sessions, institutes would share the input and results of the session on
the forum, so that other institutes can build on those solutions and post their
improvements.
Participating research institutes must demonstrate their continuous original feedback
onto the platform. Those institutes not contributing for some time or continuously not
contributing worthy results, will be removed from the closed forum communications
project. On this forum it will be analysable whom contributes most to the code writing
and whom should be rewarded most in terms of equity, royalty or program budget.
Upon completing the project, an analysis will be made on what robotics institutes
contributed most innovative solutions and what institutes did most of the work, with
each party making a report on what contributions they made and what contributions
they found other participating institutes made. The consortium will also hire an
independent expert who can analyse the posted codes on the closed network forum
to find which participants contributed most.
The solutions and findings developed by the research institutions during the research
project should be shared with the consortium in a constant open dialogue on the
private consortium forum login platform.
14
Ownership of the consortiums projects results
The IPR already developed by the Max-AI will be used as a complementary tool and
will not be infringed and were it would, the consortium firm would pay royalties. New
IPR will also be developed in the pilot plant that would belong to the new consortium
firm.
The proposed project will set up a new consortium firm whose core business will be
setting setting up new municipal waste robotized plants. 34.The new consortium firm
will provide equity, royalties and commissions to participating stakeholders. This will
enable the consortium to synergize its core focus when it comes to providing future
solutions and contracting work for new plants.
34
Supplying the entire solution to recycle the whole municipal waste flow in a municipality for approx. 50,000 people in a
predetermined franchise model, where sales channels for the recycled raw materials will be established, incoming waste
stream contracts organized and set guidelines for the day to day management of the plant are prepared.
35
equity made available to the research institutions, distributed in a two-year period. Is dependent on provided solutions on
the open forum. The more input the work the higher the equity participation and long term relationship.
15
Business plan
There are significant returns to be obtained from sorting municipal waste: these are
EPR extended producer responsibility rewards, resale value and the revenues
received for sorting municipal waste.
The financial return for the investor or municipality operating the robotized sorting
plant should arise in part from existing EPR rewards extended producer
responsibility rewards: in the Netherlands the EPR reward scheme is regulated by
Nedvang who allocated the EPR rewards to support municipalities in reaching
waste recycling rate targets36 whom in turn pay recycling businesses to sort non
treated household packaged waste into upgraded to be further recycled content.
Nedvang provides financial rewards, per 1000 K.G. or 1 ton of sorted household
waste, ranging from 0.7 cents per K.g. to 76 cents per k.g of recycled municipal
waste: for Paper carton A - 46.78 Euros per ton, carton B 7.31 Euros per ton,
Glass fur - 46.78 Euros per ton, Glass colour separated 58.48 Euros per ton,
plastics 756 Euros per ton, Metal packaging 70.17 Euros per ton, drinking
cartons - 398 Euros per ton.
36
https://www.nedvang.nl/uploads/20170411_Vergoedingen_sheet.pdf
16
https://www.nedvang.nl/uploads/20170411_Vergoedingen_sheet.pdf
The established EPR rewards, are financed by an EPR tax charged to producers of
household packaged products. In the Netherlands Afvalfonds verpakkingen
charges the EPR fees to producers for bringing household packaged product onto
the national marketplace, they charge producers the following: glass - 56 Euros per
ton, paper - 22 Euros per ton, plastics - 640 Euros per ton, biodegradable plastics -
20 Euros per ton, aluminium - 20 Euros per ton, other metals 20 Euros per ton, wood
20 euros per ton, average tariff 770 Euros per ton, drinking cartons - 180 Euros per
ton, deposit bottles - 20 Euros per ton, plastics without deposit 750 Euros per ton,
expressed in Euros per kilogram:
https://afvalfondsverpakkingen.nl/verpakkingen/alle-tarieven
17
Similar EPR scheme regulators in other EU countries are; DSD Duales system
Deutschland37 - Germany, Fost plus - Belgium and others38, these organizations
manage national EPR regulations and are members of EXPRA39- an organization
that deals with producers of household packaged items. A household packaging
producer that signs a contract with an EXPRA member becomes exempt from its
own responsibility to take back and/or recycle used packaging material within the
scope of the functioning of the programme40 and gets to place a recycling "Green
Dot"41 trademark logo on their packaging. The producers of packaged waste do
however pay EPR taxes to members of EXPRA such as Nedvang, who in turn would
ensure the recovery and recycling of packaging waste is done in the most
economically efficient and ecologically sound manner.42
Gateway fees at disposal centres for landfilling and incinerating collected municipal
waste fluctuate around 50-150 Euros per ton. When municipal waste is supplied at
the sorting centre, an equivalent of a 100 Euros per ton - 10 cents per kilogram could
37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oylK48Y1xDc
38
The current members of EXPRA are Fost Plus (Belgium), Ecopack (Bulgaria), Green Dot Cyprus, EKO-KOM
(Czech Republic), Valorlux (Luxembourg), Greenpak (Malta), CONAI (Italy), Eco-Rom Ambalaje (Romania),
ENVI-PAK (Slovakia), EcoEmbes (Spain), Nedvang (the Netherlands), Green Dot Norway, ko Pannon
(Hungary), TMIR (Israel), CEVKO (Turkey), Herrco (Greece) and PAKOMAK (Macedonia).
http://www.expra.eu/en/about/faqs
39
https://www.expra.eu
40
http://www.expra.eu/en/about/faqs
The payment of EPR taxes enables producers to evade Verpakkingenbesluit that makes companies responsible for the
collection of their produced packaging.
Sinds 1 januari 2006 is het Besluit Beheer Verpakkingen en Papier en Karton (het Verpakkingenbesluit) van kracht. Dit
besluit maakt bedrijven verantwoordelijk voor de organisatie en kosten van de inzameling en recycling van hun
verpakkingsafval. Hiertoe is Stichting Nedvang opgericht.
41
"Green Dot" trademark and focuses its work on the protection and promotion of this symbol.
http://www.expra.eu/en/about/faqs
42
http://www.expra.eu/en/about/faqs
43
PET, PE, Bottles, PS, PP, PVC and other.
18
be charged to the municipal waste collection company for disposal costs, upon
delivering the municipal waste.
The Max-AI hasnt been incorporated into this analysis, however an analysis is made
based on a number of robotic modules able to grab one type of material per number
of seconds. The Max-AI is able to do a phenomenal rate of 1 grab per 1 second. It
also however uses high amounts of energy - 4.5 KW and is not at a commercial price
point calculated herein. Herein is an estimated analysis for potential returns and
costs.
A robotic module can grab up to 6 types of content, in this analysis most robotics
systems are assumed to only grab one type of content amounting to several kilos per
hour. Each module could have a specific focus on grabbing a single source or type
of paper, wood, drinking cartons, plastic, glass, metal, organic, small electronics,
textiles, re-useable goods or non recyclable contents.
The faster a robotics module can accurately grab its focused on material, the more
economically productive the module.
In the table hereafter an analysis is made for a robotics module to grab an item every
10 seconds, 5 seconds and 2 seconds. For the replicable plant we initially estimate
the implementation of 40 robotics modules, where: 12 robots will be collecting
different plastics, 9 metal, 7 glass, 3 drinking cartons, 3 organics, 2 non recyclable, 1
robotic arm for electronics, textiles and wood.
In order to hypothesize the economic potential of the application, the output of a
robotics module has to be estimated. Hereafter are presented potential revenues of
robotics arms dependent on the speed they can grab their allocated category. We
have estimated figures between two to ten seconds even though the Max-AI shows
grabbing an item every second is possible.
To provide an initial example as realistic as possible to estimate the potential
revenues of a robot module we have suggested a robotic arm can grab can plastic
part, metal part, paper and organic components every 5 seconds. For glass and
drinking cartons 10 seconds per grab is targeted. For paper carton every 45 seconds
and for electronics, textiles and wood every 180 seconds. For non recyclable
content, every 5 seconds per grab is targeted.
Based on the estimated numbers in the table hereafter using 40 robotics modules,
could bring in a yearly revenue in of 1,304,312 Euros44, and generate 6105 tons of
sorted municipal waste for approximately 33,500 households45 to be sent for final
recycling, sorting 200 kilos per hour.
If parts could be grabbed double or quadruple as fast, potential revenues could also
rise in that proportion.46
44
12 plastic robots19,483= 233,796 9 metal robots21,235= 191,115
7 glass robots91,835= 635,845 4 paper A robots 25,420=101,680
1 Paper B carton robots >< 20,511=20,511 3 drinking cartons robots42,767= 128,301 3 organics robot18,922= 56,766 1
electronics, textiles and wood robot3,982+6,372+4,778= 15,132 2 non recyclable robot-39,417= -78,834
Total=1,304,312
45
6,104,496 total kilos separated / 182.5 average household throws away / 200 k.g. = 33,449 households
46
2,608,624 to 5,217,248 revenues
19
Material type Average Seco Collected EPR Yearly Yearly Year Total
weight nds content reward EPR resale value disposal revenue
content per Kilos per per hour reward, Euros revenue Euros
grab hour Euros Euros Euros
Plastic 5 grams 2 9 k.g.47 6.8448 54,47449 -14,335 50 7,16851 47,307
5 3.1 k.g. 2.74 21,962 -4,938 2,459 19,483
10 1.8 k.g. 1.37 11,001 -2,898 1,434 9,537
Paper A 20 grams 2 36 k.g. 1.6852 13,379 21,50253 28,670 63,551
5 14.4 k.g. 0.67 5,335 8,600 11,468 25,420
10 7.2 k.g. 0.33 2,628 4,300 5,734 12,710
Paper B 300 2 540 k.g. 3.95 31,437 ? 430,056 461,493
carton grams 5 216 k.g. 1.58 12,583 ? 172,022 184,605
10 108 k.g. 0.79 6,292 ? 86,011 92,293
45 24 k.g. 0.175 1,397 19,114 20,511
Drinking 30 gram 2 54 k.g. 21.554 172,581 -43,006 55 75,082 204,657
cartons 5 21.6 k.g. 8.6 68,490 -17,202 34,245 85,533
10 10.8 k.g. 4.3 34,245 -8,601 17,123 42,767
Metal 15 grams 2 27 k.g. 1.956 15,257 16,127 57 21,502 52,886
5 10.8 k.g. 0.77 6,183 6,451 8,601 21,235
10 5.4 k.g. 0.38 3,051 3225.42 4,301 10,618
Organics: 30 grams 2 54 k.g. / / 430058 43,006 47,306
5 21.6 k.g. / / 1720 17,202 18,922
10 10.8 k.g. / / 860 8,601 9,461
Glass 200 2 360 k.g. 1859 144,540 28,67060 286,704 459,914
grams 5 144 k.g. 7.2 57,431 11,468 114,681 183,580
10 72 k.g. 3.6 28,760 5,734 57,341 91,835
Small 150 30 18 k.g. / / 14,33561 14,335 28,600
electronics grams 60 9k.g. / / 7,167 7,167 14,334
180 3 k.g. / / 2,389 2,389 4,778
Textiles: 200 30 24 k.g. / / 19,11462 19,114 38,228
grams 60 12 k.g. / / 9,557 9,557 19,114
180 4 k.g. / / 3,186 3,186 6,372
wood 100 30 12 k.g. / / 477863 9,557 14,335
grams 60 6 k.g. 2389 4,778 7,167
180 4 k.g. 796 3,186 3,982
Non 75 2 135 k.g. ? ? -161,27164 7,167 -154104
recyclable grams 5 54 k.g. -43,001 3,584 -39,417
content 10 27 k.g. -21,501 1,792 -19709
Total 1,304,3
estimation for 12
40 robots Euros 65
47
2 grabs per second = 30 grabs per minute 5 grams average 60 minutes= 90 grams
48
EPR reward plastic 760 Euros per ton Nedvang 0.76 9= 6.84
49
6.84 E 22 hours a day operation 362 days of functioning = 54473.76
50
9k.g. 22 hours 362 days= 71676 k.g 20 cents per k.g. further shredding and optical sorting.
51
9 k.g. 22hours362days=71676 k.g. total 10 cents per k.g. disposal cost
52
36k.g. EPR (46.78A/1000)= 1.68 Euros 7.31B)/ - 0.66
53
36k.g. Resale value (50-100 Euros per ton= 75Euros per ton= 0.075 per k.g.) 22 hours 362 days= 21502
20
Set up costs replicable plant
Total 1,700,000
54
398 Euros per ton EPR reward= 0.398 per kilogram 54 kilograms= 21.5 Euro
55
54 k.g. 22 hours 362 days=430056 k.g 10 cents cost processing value = 43,005.6
56
(70.17 euros per ton EPR reward) =0.0701727 k.g.= 1.9
57
metal resale value= 100-50 Euros per ton, 75 E ton taken, 0.07527 k.g.22 hours362= 16127
58
54 k.g22 hours362 dat0.01 resale value per k.g. = 4300
10 Euros per per tonresale value
59
(EPR reward per ton: Glass fur 46.78+ glass separated 58.48) = taking 0.05 for simplicity 360= 18
60
resale price glass 10 euros per ton, 0.01 cents362 days 360 k.g. 22 hours =
61
resale price of electronics 10 cents per kilogram 22362 days =
62
resale price of textiles 10 cents per kilogram22 hours362 days =
63
50 Euros a ton resale value22 hours362 days12 k.g =
64
-150 Euros per ton incineration or landfilling cost
65
12 plastic robots19,483= 233,796 9 metal robots21,235= 191,115
7 glass robots91,835= 635,845 4 paper A robots 25,420=101,680
1 Paper B carton robots 20,511=20,511 3 drinking cartons robots42,767= 128,301 3 organics robot18,922= 56,766 1
electronics, textiles and wood robot3,982+6,372+4,778= 15,132 2 non recyclable robot-39,417= -78,834
Total=1,304,312
66
40><13,750= 550,000
21
Yearly speculative variable costs
component price
Electricity 60,63268
Facility ground 1500-2000 M2 yearly 70,00069
rental or interest payment
4 plant Personnel 120,000
2 Transport personnel 70,000
Transport fuel 30,000
Total 323,632
The numbered model above is based on approximation estimations and would vary
in real application. However, there does show to be considerable economic potential,
with potential annual revenues of 1,304,312 Euros, variable yearly costs of 323,632
Euros and fixed investment cost for the plant of 1,700,000 Euros. Especially since
the grabbing rates calculated were rather slow and could be doubled if the according
systems are developed. On the other hand, there may be high initial learning costs
that are not considered here.
When using multiple robotics to select different types of material and quality types of
that material, there is advantage in enabling higher resale value70 and better quality
for processing plants.71
The analysis above would differ from a system where only MAX-AIs were integrated
to sort all the municipal waste, unfortunately the MAX- AI cannot inspect or grab all
different shaped content yet and is even still learning to recognize new materials. If
however it where possible, the plant would only need 10 robotic systems to the same
sorting and would be able to separate up to 60 different categories.72
Since the Max-AI cannot grab all types of waste with its current grabber and system,
it will need to be combined with different robotics systems to be able to sort all the
municipal waste.
68
40 robotics 22 hours 362 days (1 hour: 500 watt 1 KW::0.2= 10 cents an hour) =31,856
40 vision/inspection systems 200 watts (4 cents an hour) = 12,848
Conveyor belt 5 KW= 7964
AVG vehicles pressers, lighting other, 5 Kw = 7964
69
http://www.immoweb.be/nl/zoek/industrie/te-huur?minprice=10000&maxprice=100000
70
in terms of plastic specifically
71
for example, different colors plastics PP vs PET, or some bottles may be full and not be of high quality. Also for paper
there may be ones with more plastics, drinking cartons or other carton.
72
Municipal waste is highly diverse and should be separated in various different shapes to obtain high resale values and
enable local recycling. Each MAX-AI robot can separate up to 6 types.
22
Proposals topic application
There are several Horizon 2020 topics currently open for submission to whom this
application would fit the criteria for, these are:
TOPIC: Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action,
environment, resource efficiency and raw materials
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topic
s/smeinst-11-2016-2017.html
TOPIC: New business models for inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topic
s/smeinst-12-2016-2017.html
23
Work packages and budget
The proposed calls above would consider proposals requesting a contribution from
the EU of between EUR 0.5 and 2.5 million, this would allow phase 2 to be
addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and
selection of proposals requesting other amounts (higher or lower). Projects should
last between 12 and 24 months.73
The budget requested will be used to complete the work packages with the outcome
of establishing a firm that can set up a replicable commercial pilot plants.
Work package one firstly consist of building the digital simulation of the concept
plant: establishing the plant layout, from the entry point to the final resale
processing,74 this will be done by mmi.rwth-aachen and the participating system
integrators.
With the design plan for the plant, the project can move from concept to laboratory,
procuring the components, location and premises where the robotics systems can be
set up by the consortium leader and system integrator Rovimatica.
73
http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/smeinst-11-2016-2017.html
74
Entry point for disposal truck, first storage with overnight capacity, robotics systems, conveyor belts, x-ray
baggage scanner, vision technologies sensor technologies, internal logistics of sorted content, storage
containers.
24
Digital plant construction
Consortium partner76: Centre Terre & Pierre, Ctp.be can potentially make two
halls available. CTP has experience in in recycling projects and technologies. It is
also possible to select another premises, fitted for the design of the plant, location77
and rental price.
Rms-leura.de, Metaliax.pt or
Nobatek.com can provide the
construction for the housing of the plant
75
Was consortium partner for application in an circular economy call for march 2017, unfortunately the proposal
couldnt be submitted in time. It needs to be confirmed again whether the party is available and still has interest in
the project.
76
Was consortium partner for application in an circular economy call for march 2017, unfortunately the proposal
couldnt be submitted in time. It needs to be confirmed again whether the party is available and still has interest in
the project.
To work with municipality whom will set their waste streams in collaboration with collection companies.
77
25
Conveyor belt supplier
System integrator
78
Was consortium partner for application in an circular economy call for march 2017, unfortunately the proposal couldnt be
submitted in time. It needs to be confirmed again whether the party is available and still has interest in the project.
79
Not yet requested or confirmed interest in project
26
Delta robotics
Robotic arm
ABB, FUNEC, Kawaski, kuka, Staubli, ABB IRB 1200 with vision system
fp- robotics, optional and tracking software 19600 Euros
per model
Initially 1-5 should be ordered, later
potentially 10 units, the robotics brand is
optional
Tube supply
Igus
27
Vacuum tube system for grabber model design
The system
should be able
to collect
smaller pieces
of paper,
plastic,
organics, aluminium and other targeted.
28
Commercial grabber systems
Schunk GMBH & co. KG Schunk.com model MPG EGA EGL KGG or JPG
vision systems
29
Distant access tools
30
Work package 2: Research institution software R&D works
The new premises established in work package 1, will provide the participating
robotics universities with access to the entire conveyor belt system and all the tools
to sort the whole municipal waste stream. One robotics system: The Max-AI, will
already be working; and be able collect a number of valuable items however not all
items, those items it cannot recognize or grab will be developed the during the
project. The MAX-AI will also be tested at slower speeds and with denser conveyor
belts, possibly increasing each robots grabbing speed capacity.
The participating research institutes will be able to select three to five hour sessions
to access all research plant tools, remotely from a distance, with the coordinating
firm monitoring the sessions. The participating research institutes are assumed to be
able to develop the commercializable solution to sort all municipal waste within six
months to a year. The solutions should focus on the fastest grab per second,
categorizing the different material qualities of waste, be able to recognize and grab
non recyclable waste, sort small items and remove/swipe contents on the belt.
In work package 2 gradually additional robotics systems will be placed in the plant
and placed in different positions in order to develop an optimal continuous flow
solution. During work package three, it will be determined if municipal waste
recycling using only robotics is economically feasible.
Consortium partners80:
2-3 appropriate
80
Were consortium partners for application in an circular economy call for march 2017, unfortunately the proposal couldnt
be submitted in time. It needs to be confirmed again whether the parties are available and still have an interest in the project.
31
professors
2-3 appropriate
professors
2-3 appropriate
professors
2-3 appropriate
professors
2-3 appropriate
professors
2-3 appropriate
professors
2-3 appropriate
professors
32
robotics robotics programming
2-3 appropriate
professors
iosb.fraunhofer.de
lms.mech.upatras.gr/
33
ics.ei.tum.de
dfki.de
Work package three consists of transforming the research premises into a pilot plant,
this includes adding initial overnight capacity storage containers, AGVs, internal
transport tubes and transport containers.
The plant should be able to sort all municipal waste, operate continuously and be
almost entirely automated. The replicable pilot plant will be operated as a
commercial plant; registering work tasks, operating continuously, improving
operations, procuring municipal waste, obtaining EPR rewards and resale revenues.
Before the plants proof of concept can be commercialized, the plant components
will need to be operating continuously in synergy. Interdependent sensors and
components will need to be programmed to supply bin bags from the storage
34
containers to the bag cutter, allocate sufficient untreated contents to the circulating
conveyor and allocate the sorted contents section to schedule it for pick up.
Other suppliers
Firm to be 100,000
selected,
custom solution
required
Custom solution
is required to build an adapted hill: for
municipal waste collection trucks to
autonomously deposit their waste in
storage containers with conveyor belts.
35
Storage containers with conveyor
36
AGV automated guided vehicles
81
81
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5RFXsM0PEs
37
2 transport trucks for Pottinger
Sensors
38
centre will be used to implant codes in
that initiate the supply when bin bags
from the storage containers are fed to
the bag cutter, to the circulating
conveyor, the inspection systems,
robotics systems, linear motion, to the
transport containers.
100,000
82
firm has expressed interest in robotics for recycling however has not yet reviewed this proposal or confirmed interest for
this project.
39
management of new plants.
Project coordinator: Cocreations space ltd will organize the project, maintain
communications between consortium firms, manage online communication forum,
communicate with the commission, be present at research sessions and have a long
term focus on commercializing the project pilot plant solution.
Work package five will consist of the managing and optimizing existing plants and
following a market strategy to implement new robotics sorting capital facilities offered
to the public.
83
Was consortium partner for application in an circular economy call for march 2017, unfortunately the proposal couldnt be
submitted in time. It needs to be confirmed again whether the party is available and still has interest in the project.
40
Conclusion
Several Horizon 2020 topics apply to this proposals potential impact. It proposes a
new decentralized model for recycling municipal waste, that could make the
recycling industry more accessible to public stakeholders. The project will attempt to
attract local investors enthusiastic about robotics and environmental technologies84.
The project could rebrand the recycling industry and attract a group of highly skilled
robotics specialist to the recycling industry.85
Optical sorting has proved to be a very productive and adequate instrument for the
high speed sorting of two streams per machine; however, for separating an entire
waste stream as complex as municipal waste, other instruments may be more
economically effective.
The sorted contents produced from todays best available plant technique would be
different than the produced quality and variety that would be produced by robotised
plants. For investors to economically set up new local final recycling processing
plants they require a supply from sorting centres that is; good quality, large quantity,
well priced and regular. The robotised sorting plant should enable higher quality
content to be delivered, potentially attracting innovative new best available final
recycling processing techniques locally. If the entire models technology proves to
be economically disruptive, the market can be scaled rapidly by the new consortium
firm and new competitors; whom would provide decentralized robotised plants for
investors.
Municipal waste compared to business waste is the most complex waste stream to
manage with the lowest recycling rate86.
Stimulating new private and public investments in the sorting infrastructure is one of
the most effective ways to improve resource efficiency and conserve natural
resources, it can make the community as a whole self-sufficient in waste treatment.
Only a limited share (43%) of the municipal waste generated in the Union was
recycled, with the rest being landfilled (31%) or or incinerated (26%).87 Warranting
the market capacity for new municipal waste sorting investments. Municipal waste
constitutes approximately between 7 and 10% of the total waste generated in the
Union;88 however, this waste stream is amongst the most complex ones to
manage89.
In 2013, total waste generation in the EU amounted to approximately 2.5 billion tons
84
new project plants equity will be offered to local residents informing them by mail about the opportunity to equity invest
in robotized processing with relatively high returns. The project would intend to collaborate with smart cites to set up waste
stream contracts to the sorting centres, find transnational financial support mechanisms, obtain the license for the location
and allocate the according established EPR rewards to the plant for local investors.
85
The project could potentially attract a large group of high skilled robotics environmental enthusiasts willing to work at a
lower wage, writing new codes, establishing new business models and creating innovative opportunities for the municipal
waste recycling industry.
86
the collection and sorting of packaging waste from households is usually more expensive than the collection and sorting of
industrial packaging waste
http://www.expra.eu/en/about/faqs
87
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52015PC0595&from=EN
88
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Municipal_waste_statistics
89
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52015PC0595
41
of which 1.6 billion tons were not reused or recycled90 and therefore lost for the
European economy91.
The EU is the words largest exporter of non-hazardous waste destined for
recycling92. EU targets for 2020, are set at recycling 50 % municipal household
waste and recycling 75% by 203093. To meet these targets the EU or its nation
states should provide funding for new technology research,94 thereby stimulating
innovation in recycling, creating new waste management practises, limiting the use
of landfilling and incineration.95 The large quantity of municipal waste that is
landfilled, incinerated or exported comes at a loss for the quality of life of citizens.96
New investments in new robotized recycling plants would attract high skilled
employment, contribute to the economic production of local raw materials; advance
the raw materials initiative, encourage new regional recycling infrastructure,
strengthen competitiveness of the recycling sector and contribute to achieving
recycling targets.
90
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:b68494d2-999f-11e5-b3b7-
01aa75ed71a1.0019.03/DOC_1&format=HTML&lang=EN&parentUrn=COM:2015:596:FIN 1.1
91
There are enormous profits to be made in the effective re-use and recycling of our resources. P7, Uitvoeringsprogramma
VANG - Huishoudelijk Afval
92
http://ec.europa.eu/trade/import-and-export-rules/export-from-eu/waste-shipment/
93
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/target_review.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/framework/
94
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A52014DC0398 P2
95
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:b68494d2-999f-11e5-b3b7-
01aa75ed71a1.0019.03/DOC_1&format=HTML&lang=EN&parentUrn=COM:2015:596:FIN P1.2
96
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/WASTE%20BROCHURE.pdf
At present a large component of municipal waste is landfilled, exported or incinerated, this has negative effects in terms of
air pollution, land pollution and economic due export of valuable raw materials
42
APPENDIX
Existing EPR taxes and rewards have been in place for while and have increased
household recycling rates considerably, however a large portion 56%97 of the
complex household waste stream, consisting plastics and other waste is still being
incinerated and landfilled: Some sources suggest Fifty percent of plastics that are
collected separate are burnt in German incineration ovens98. Even though
established EPR taxes and rewards are gradually increasing recycling rates, a large
portion of sourced-separated prepared for recycling municipal waste is still shipped
by European recycling businesses to advanced Asian recycling markets in sea
containers for final recycling purposes, thereby statistically registering the material as
having been prepared for recycling or recycled domestically.
The recycling container would improve the European industry for the final recycling
industries, since advanced inspecting recycling containers can increase the supply of
peaches - high quality low cost sorted municipal waste, on the domestic processing
market. We have seen this occur with the implementation of the deposit return
scheme, where collected bottles are not exported for recycling but domestically
recycled in large complex plastic bottle recycling plants, such as in Germany and
Norway that are only able to operate continuously due to the secure supply stream.
43
cosmetics.
Each day across the United States about 1,500 shipping containers are packed full
of recyclables and trucked to seaports, where they are loaded onto cargo ships and
dispatched to China.103 The market for waste is now worth an estimated $443bn104
In the modern world being able to dispose packed waste properly is a modern basic
need. Only a limited share (43%) of the municipal waste generated in the Union was
recycled, with the rest being landfilled (31%) or or incinerated (26%).. Municipal
waste constitutes approximately between 7 and 10% of the total waste generated in
the Union;; however, this waste stream is amongst the most complex ones to
manage New robotized recycling plants would generate the supply to create local
geographical investment demand for nearby specialized processing installations or
enable surrounding businesses to increase output in the final recycling industry,
increasing the production of recycled raw materials placed back onto the market.105
After a few years of recycling a continuous waste stream raw materials, supplies
becomes accumulative, lowering the demand for new earthly raw materials and
lowering the cost of supply for new recycled raw materials, that should lead in turn to
lower cost products. That is ofcourse if recyclable content is not sold to China but
processed and made use of domestically.
Today still much of municipal waste recycling is done by small-scale, family owned,
low tech, poor worker health safety, coal fired extruder recycling plants,106 family-
run plastic recycling mills sort, clean and break up the rubbish before putting the
pieces into furnaces where they are melted and remoulded, eventually to be
processed into small granules.107 because of importation of plastic scrap. The
reason that people cant breathe in Beijing is plastics emissions,108 The
environmental and health impacts of China's unregulated plastic recycling business
were immense: the cleaning process pollutes waterways, melting and burning the
scraps released toxic pollutants into the air, and leftover pieces unfit for recycling
were dumped directly into riverbeds, Wang said.109"Plastic waste that has no value
for recycling is either burned directly or dumped in waterways and eventually ends
up in the sea. This is very common in China's rural areas, where there is no waste
management in place,"110 experts judge that around 80% of marine plastic waste
comes from land.111
billion tons were not reused or recycled and therefore lost for the European
economy. For member states to reach certain waste management targets the EU or
5
nation states should provide funding new technology research . The right policies
and innovations can turn waste into a resource, increasing resource efficiency and
closing the loop in a circular economy bring major economic, environmental and
social benefits and provide a reliable source of raw materials for the Union.
103
http://www.waste360.com/business/what-operation-green-fence-has-meant-recycling
104
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/14/waste-trade-china-recycling-rubbish
105
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/doc/srv?l=EN&f=ST%2013097%202011%20INIT P4
106
http://www.cewep.eu/events/m_1233
107
http://www.scmp.com/article/1711744/china-produces-about-third-plastic-waste-polluting-worlds-oceans-says-report
108
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/09/chinas-green-fence-blocking-us-plastic-recycling/311059/
109
http://www.scmp.com/article/1711744/china-produces-about-third-plastic-waste-polluting-worlds-oceans-says-report
110
http://www.scmp.com/article/1711744/china-produces-about-third-plastic-waste-polluting-worlds-oceans-says-report
111
UNEP (2005). Marine litter, an analytical overview:
http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelitter/publications/docs/anl_oview.pdf.
44
EU industry owns 25% of world wide plastics production112, with the plastic polymer
raw material being manufactured from 99% imported petroleum raw material. High
rates of recycled municipal plastic could ensure a cost efficient rate of circular raw
material supply for industry, one that China benefits from now. The Unions
economy currently loses a significant amount of potential secondary raw materials
which are found in waste streams113 and also critical raw materials present in
electronic devices.
112
http://www.plasticseurope.org/Documents/Document/20100309151634-
Final_FactsFigures2007_PublishedOct2008_final-20081020-002-EN-v1.pdf P9
113
http://publications.europa.eu/resource/cellar/c2b5929d-999e-11e5-b3b7-01aa75ed71a1.0018.03/DOC_1
114
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52013DC0123
115
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/Legal%20proposal%20review%20targets.pdf
45