Omrin and NHL Stenden use AI to improve waste sorting and energy recovery, aiming for greater efficiency and lower costs in recycling processes.
Key Takeaways
- Omrin and NHL Stenden have partnered to develop AI solutions for recycling, enhancing waste recognition.
- A camera in the separation plant captures images to help the AI distinguish between suitable and disruptive materials.
- The new separation installation, SI-2, aims for better understanding of waste composition and quicker identification of problematic materials.
- AI technology will improve efficiency at both SI-2 and the Waste-to-Energy plant.
- The partnership helps keep processing costs low, benefiting shareholders and promoting sustainable practices.
Omrin and NHL Stenden have signed a cooperation agreement on 16 January 2026 to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for recycling. The partnership aims to enhance the recognition of different types of waste.
A camera is currently positioned above the bunker of the existing separation plant, capturing images of the waste. This process facilitates machine learning, enabling an AI programme to distinguish between materials that are suitable for the plant and those that could disrupt the process.
AI To Enhance Sorting Efficiency
The insights gained will be applied in a new separation installation, referred to as SI-2. According to company statements, Omrin intends to build an advanced sorting factory incorporating AI in Heerenveen.
The objective for the SI-2 plant is to achieve a more detailed understanding of waste composition and to identify disruptive materials more quickly.
Benefits For Energy Recovery And Costs
For the Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant, known as the Reststoffen Energie Centrale (REC), the technology is expected to allow for a more precise determination of the calorific value of waste streams.
The use of AI is anticipated to increase the efficiency of both the SI-2 and the REC. This will assist Omrin in maintaining a low processing tariff per tonne of household waste for its shareholders and strengthen its position in the circular economy. Rein van der Zwaag, Director of Recycling at Omrin, is involved in the project’s implementation.
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