From launching a major software update to unveiling our sustainably-designed Greyparrot Analyzer units, 2024’s RWM conference was one of our most eventful trade shows to date.
On day one, our COO Gaspard chaired a panel discussion that explored the ways AI is performing multiple business-critical tasks for recovery facilities — at the same time.
Re-Gen CIO Conor McCooey and Resource Futures CEO Sam Reeve joined Gaspard to explain how systems like Greyparrot Analyzer help the waste sector perform a delicate balancing act: remaining profitable and compliant as regulatory requirements grow.
How waste sector requirements shape AI waste analytics
Gaspard began the discussion by explaining how the relationship between Greyparrot and its customers has changed as the waste sector has embraced AI waste analytics:
Over several years, we’ve seen waste managers really start using AI.
They are now finding innovative ways to use it, and pushing technology providers like Greyparrot to align what the technology can do to serve their needs.”- Gaspard Duthilleul, Greyparrot, COO
As the CIO of Re-Gen, Conor McCooey has been with us at the forefront of AI waste analytics, and seen that same evolution firsthand:
I’ve been consulting in the recycling industry for around 15 years. Through that time, IT has grown and evolved from ‘fix my printer’ to ‘let’s see how we can help people in the plant do more...
The Greyparrot system went off for a week when we were doing a network upgrade, and the plant managers were saying ‘we want that back on'.”- Conor McCooey, Re-Gen, CIO
By deploying AI waste analytics at their Newry facility, Conor was able to answer that question for his facility staff:
AI gives us real-time feedback on quality. Previously, issues were flagged after materials were baled and inspected, or from a customer complaint.
We have an opportunity now to see that live and make corrections upstream, so we’re producing better quality products, quicker.”- Conor McCooey, Re-Gen, CIO
Soon, though, the business case for lean, profitable operations will become a lot more urgent.
Automating monitoring and compliance — with the same data
Systems like Analyzer already help recovery facilities maximise performance and profitability, but Gaspard introduced a challenge that our customers are even more concerned about solving in the coming months and years:
The question we’re asking today is: how can AI help us improve what we’re currently doing, but overcome new challenges as well?
The new MRF regulations will require more sampling, more data, more frequent and detailed reporting. That’s something AI can really support.”- Gaspard Duthilleul, Greyparrot, COO
Environmental consultancy Resource Futures work with both the waste sector and government, giving their CEO Sam Reeve unique insight into the opportunity presented by AI-supported compliance:
The new requirements definitely add a burden on facilities … where AI really has added benefit is automated monitoring.
Five years ago … you’d spend days trying to figure issues out. With AI, you’re able to focus on outputs in real-time. There’s real value in not having manual, labour-intensive, time-cut sampling.”- Sam Reeve, CEO, Resource Futures
Sam went on to highlight the fact that the facilities already using AI waste analytics can apply the same technology to operations and regulation:
“With [AI waste analytics], it’s almost as if your reporting requirements are a byproduct of that operational intelligence that you’re already getting.”
- Sam Reeve, CEO, Resource Futures
The same data that helps businesses like Re-Gen improve operational efficiency could soon enable them to automate compliance, saving even more time and money. In Conor’s words:
There’s huge scope for analytics to deliver the increased reporting requirements. That’s going to be very manually-intensive, with very little value-add. Anything we can do to replace the need for people to go and do fingertip analysis all day is an instant business case for AI.”
- Conor McCooey, Re-Gen, CIO
Why the entire value chain benefits from better data
Reliable, granular data will also change the way that regulators and packaging producers measure the impact of legislation like extended producer responsibility (EPR). According to Sam:
We now have a real feedback loop — how that feeds into Defra’s understanding of composition and the market response to EPR is obviously critical. You’ll get a much quicker view of regulation’s impact.”
- Sam Reeve, CEO, Resource Futures
It’s a sentiment that Conor echoed from the waste sector’s perspective:
We actually have packaging producers approaching us for this information. If they’re going to incur costs from EPR, they’re keenly interested.
It’s coming from three directions — material producers, operations, and from the policy world. Nearly everyone needs this data to be accurate and available.”- Conor McCooey, Re-Gen, CIO
It’s clear that upcoming compliance changes will represent an existential challenge for recovery facilities, and an opportunity to “connect the dots” between policymakers, packaging producers, and the waste sector.
With that network of stakeholders in mind, we launched the UK waste sector’s first-ever automated sampling pilot to speed adoption for our customers — and start generating the data that the value chain needs.
One AI waste analytics system, countless applications
The waste sector has had several years to familiarise themselves with AI waste analytics technology, and its potential. Now, they’re seeing even more opportunity in the systems currently deployed throughout recovery facilities.
Sam explained why the spread of AI has magnified the scale of the problems he’s able to solve at Resource Futures, and given us an unprecedented new understanding of resource recovery:
The value AI is adding is really impressive.
It’s making our job [as advisors] more interesting, because we’re tackling new and bigger problems for facilities using the data that’s coming out of Analyzer.
What you have with the dataset that comes from continuous monitoring is the ultimate view of how the waste system is being used.”- Sam Reeve, CEO, Resource Futures
Now, we’re applying that new view of the waste system to regulation, tackling one of the sector’s most pressing challenges.
Learn how our analysts are leading the charge for automated sampling here.
