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Artificial intelligence (AI) slashes the need for manual labor in the recycling landscape as AMP Robotics secures $91 million in Series D funding. The investment will supercharge the company’s AI-powered waste sorting facilities, tackling stagnant recycling rates in the United States while delivering tangible economic and environmental gains.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 32% of recyclable and compostable materials are processed, a figure that has barely budged in years. The Recycling Partnership also reveals that just 21% of residential recyclables are being reused. With how expensive and inefficient recycling methods can be, this downward trend does not come as a surprise.
“Recycling rates have stagnated in the United States, despite the positive benefits recycling offers local economies and the environment,” said Matanya Horowitz, founder of AMP Robotics.
How AI is reshaping waste management
AMP Robotics’ technology employs deep learning and computer vision to meticulously sort recyclables. Its AI systems have identified 150 billion items and processed over 2.5 million tons of waste to date. Robotic arms equipped with cameras deftly separate recyclables from trash on conveyor belts.
“One of the unique advantages of AI is its ability to identify so many of the things we discard,” said AMP spokesperson Carling Spelhaug. The system can handle a surprising range of materials, from standard recyclables to outliers like bowling balls and diapers. Spelhaug added, “If people continue being lazy about sorting, AI will take over this thankless job.”
This level of precision trims operational costs and boosts the recovery of valuable materials, making recycling affordable. AI also helps recycling centers handle mixed trash without needing people to sort it at the curb, saving everyone from doing such a hazardous job.
AMP Robotics now runs three full-scale facilities and is planning to add more. The company’s flagship AMP ONE™ system can process large amounts of trash with over 90% reliability, which used to seem impossible. At a center in Virginia, this system keeps more than 60% of trash out of landfills by using advanced sorting tools.
“AMP’s AI sortation systems enable consumers to recycle both with and without curbside separation and communities to benefit from the recovery of recycled commodities while reducing dependence on landfills,” noted Abe Yokell, co-founder of Congruent Ventures, a lead investor in the funding round.
Scaling up and looking ahead
The $91 million investment will accelerate the deployment of AMP systems across North America and beyond. With over 400 robots already operational worldwide, AMP is poised to modernize recycling infrastructure and lessen dependence on manual labor. The company’s “as a service” business model charges clients per ton of waste sorted, making it scalable for waste management operators.
As the recycling industry grapples with escalating costs and inefficiencies, AI-driven solutions like AMP’s are set to transform waste management. Beyond environmental perks, the technology offers profound cost savings and operational enhancements for municipalities and businesses.
With AI taking center stage, the future of recycling holds exciting possibilities for both the planet and the economy.
