waste sorting

File:Recycling point Gdansk University of Technology.jpg]]

Waste is collected at its source in each area and separated. The way that waste is sorted must reflect local disposal systems. The following categories are common:Martin F.Lemann: Waste Management, 2008, p. 80, {{ISBN|9783039115143}}, Peter Lang

• Paper
• Cardboard (including packaging for return to suppliers)
• Glass (clear, tinted–no light bulbs or window panes, which belong with residual waste)
• Plastics
• Textiles
• Wood, leather, rubber
• Scrap metal
• Compost (often including food scraps and other organic kitchen waste)
• Special/hazardous waste
• Residual waste

Organic waste can also be segregated for disposal:

• Leftover food which has had any contact with meat can be collected separately to prevent the spread of bacteria.
• Meat and bone can be retrieved by bodies responsible for animal waste.
• If other leftovers are sent, for example, to local farmers, they can be sterilised before being fed to the animals.
• Peels and scrapings from fruit and vegetables can be composted along with other degradable matter. Other waste can be included for composting, such as cut flowers, corks, coffee grounds, rotting fruit, tea bags, eggshells and nutshells, and paper towels.

{{See also|Materials recovery facility#Process|Recycling#Sorting}}

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Automation of municipal solid waste sorting process is an active research area.{{cite journal |last1=Gundupalli |first1=Sathish Paulraj |last2=Hait |first2=Subrata |last3=Thakur |first3=Atul |title=A review on automated sorting of source-separated municipal solid waste for recycling |journal=Waste Management |date=1 February 2017 |volume=60 |pages=56–74 |doi=10.1016/j.wasman.2016.09.015 |pmid=27663707 |bibcode=2017WaMan..60...56G |language=en |issn=0956-053X}} Notable mechanisms for automated sorting include:

• Standardization of products, especially of packaging{{cite journal |last1=Qureshi |first1=Muhammad Saad |last2=Oasmaa |first2=Anja |last3=Pihkola |first3=Hanna |last4=Deviatkin |first4=Ivan |last5=Tenhunen |first5=Anna |last6=Mannila |first6=Juha |last7=Minkkinen |first7=Hannu |last8=Pohjakallio |first8=Maija |last9=Laine-Ylijoki |first9=Jutta |title=Pyrolysis of plastic waste: Opportunities and challenges |journal=Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis |date=1 November 2020 |volume=152 |pages=104804 |doi=10.1016/j.jaap.2020.104804 |s2cid=200068035 |language=en |issn=0165-2370}}{{cite journal |last1=Zorpas |first1=Antonis A. |title=Sustainable waste management through end-of-waste criteria development |journal=Environmental Science and Pollution Research |date=1 April 2016 |volume=23 |issue=8 |pages=7376–7389 |doi=10.1007/s11356-015-5990-5 |pmid=26690583 |s2cid=36643191 |language=en |issn=1614-7499}}{{additional citation needed|date=January 2022}} which are often composed of different materials, in particular materials hard or currently impossible to either separate or recycle together in an automated way.{{cite news |last1=Ulrich |first1=Viola |title=Plastikmüll und Recycling: Acht Mythen und Irrtümer |url=https://www.welt.de/kmpkt/article198117915/Plastikmuell-und-Recycling-Acht-Mythen-und-Irrtuemer.html |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=DIE WELT |date=6 November 2019 |language=de}}
• Laws related to recyclability, waste management, domestic materials recovery facilities, product composition, biodegradability and prevention of import/export of specific wastes.
• Since around 2017, China,{{cite journal |last1=Brooks |first1=Amy L. |last2=Wang |first2=Shunli |last3=Jambeck |first3=Jenna R. |author-link3=Jenna Jambeck |title=The Chinese import ban and its impact on global plastic waste trade |journal=Science Advances |date=June 2018 |volume=4 |issue=6 |pages=eaat0131 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aat0131 |pmid=29938223 |pmc=6010324 |bibcode=2018SciA....4..131B |language=EN}} Turkiye,{{cite news |title=Turkey to ban plastic waste imports |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/19/turkey-to-ban-plastic-waste-imports |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=19 May 2021 |language=en}} Malaysia,{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Yen Nee |title=Malaysia, following in China's footsteps, bans imports of plastic waste |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/25/climate-change-malaysia-following-china-bans-plastic-waste-imports.html |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=CNBC |date=25 January 2019 |language=en}} Cambodia,{{cite news |title=Cambodia probes Chinese firm over illegal waste imports |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-waste-idUSKCN1UE0PH |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Reuters |date=19 July 2019 |language=en}} and Thailand{{cite news |title=Thailand to ban imports of high-tech trash, plastic waste |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-environment-waste-idUSKBN1L10QW |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Reuters |date=16 August 2018 |language=en}} have banned certain waste imports. It has been suggested that such bans may increase automation{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Adam |title=Recyclers turn to AI robots after waste import bans |url=https://www.ft.com/content/04e34436-907b-11ea-bc44-dbf6756c871a |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=Financial Times |date=1 July 2020}} and recycling, decreasing negative impacts on the environment{{cite news |title='Waste colonialism': world grapples with west's unwanted plastic |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/31/waste-colonialism-countries-grapple-with-wests-unwanted-plastic |access-date=26 January 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=31 December 2021 |language=en}}. These bans have significantly disrupted global waste flows, forcing exporting countries to improve their domestic sorting capabilities and invest in advanced automation to meet higher quality standards for recycled materials, as contaminated bales are less likely to find export markets.
• Optical sorting
• Spectral imaging based sorting
• Systems that use hyperspectral imaging and algorithms developed via machine learning{{cite news |title=Breakthrough in separating plastic waste: Machines can now distinguish 12 different types of plastic |url=https://techxplore.com/news/2022-01-breakthrough-plastic-machines-distinguish.html |access-date=19 January 2022 |work=Aarhus University |language=en}}{{cite journal |last1=Henriksen |first1=Martin L. |last2=Karlsen |first2=Celine B. |last3=Klarskov |first3=Pernille |last4=Hinge |first4=Mogens |title=Plastic classification via in-line hyperspectral camera analysis and unsupervised machine learning |journal=Vibrational Spectroscopy |date=1 January 2022 |volume=118 |pages=103329 |doi=10.1016/j.vibspec.2021.103329 |s2cid=244913832 |language=en |issn=0924-2031|doi-access=free }}{{cite book |last1=Karaca |first1=Ali Can |last2=Erturk |first2=Alp |last3=Gullu |first3=M. Kemal |last4=Elmas |first4=M. |last5=Erturk |first5=Sarp |title=2013 5th Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS) |chapter=Automatic waste sorting using shortwave infrared hyperspectral imaging system |date=June 2013 |pages=1–4 |doi=10.1109/WHISPERS.2013.8080744 |isbn=978-1-5090-1119-3 |s2cid=37092593 |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284415864}}
• Near infrared spectroscopy{{cite web |title=Optical sorting technology for textile waste – Development of an identification method with NIR spectroscopy |url=https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/136518/Zitting_Jaakko.pdf |date=2017}}{{cite journal |last1=Zhu |first1=Shichao |last2=Chen |first2=Honghui |last3=Wang |first3=Mengmeng |last4=Guo |first4=Xuemei |last5=Lei |first5=Yu |last6=Jin |first6=Gang |title=Plastic solid waste identification system based on near infrared spectroscopy in combination with support vector machine |journal=Advanced Industrial and Engineering Polymer Research |date=1 April 2019 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=77–81 |doi=10.1016/j.aiepr.2019.04.001 |s2cid=146666866 |language=en |issn=2542-5048|doi-access=free }}
• X-ray based sorting
• Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
• Eddy current based sorting
• Magnetic Separation (Beyond just Eddy Current)
• Ferrous Metal Separation
• Uses powerful permanent magnets or electromagnets, typically placed over or under conveyor belts, to lift and separate ferrous metals (steel, iron) from the mixed waste stream. This is often one of the first separation steps in an MRF.
• Distinction from Eddy Current
• Eddy current is specifically for non-ferrous metals. Standard magnetic separation is for ferrous metals. Both are magnetic but use different principles for different metal types.
• Density Separation (Wet or Dry)
• Wet Density Separation (Float-Sink Tanks)
• Materials are fed into a tank filled with water or a liquid of a specific density. Materials denser than the liquid sink, while less dense materials float. Multiple stages with different liquid densities can achieve finer separation. Commonly used for separating mixed plastics (e.g., PET sinks while PE/PP float in water), separating glass from plastics, or removing heavy contaminants.
• Dry Density Separation (Air Tables / Wind Shifters)
• Uses air currents and vibration to separate materials based on their specific gravity and aerodynamic profile. Lighter materials are carried further by the air. Separating light fractions (film plastic, paper) from heavy fractions (rigid plastics, organics), cleaning compost, or separating construction and demolition waste.

{{Cleanup section|date=January 2022|reason=The section doesn't provide overviews of the state of affairs on those countries; some content could be moved elsewhere}}

File:Waste sorting in Porto Venere.jpg, Italy]]

File:Garbage containers at fuchu city.jpg, Japan]]

In Germany, regulations exist that provide mandatory quotas for the waste sorting of packaging waste and recyclable materials such as glass bottles.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ufjWko3jsfQC&pg=PA16 Germany, Garbage and the Green Dot: Challenging a Throwaway Society - Bette K. Fishbein]. pp. 16-17.

In Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, a pilot project using an automated collecting machine of plastic bottles or aluminium cans with voucher reward has been implemented in a market.{{cite web |url=http://bali.tribunnews.com/2015/07/31/satu-satunya-di-indonesia-mesin-sampah-keluarkan-voucher-ada-di-denpasar |title=Satu-satunya di Indonesia, Mesin Sampah Keluarkan Voucher ada di Denpasar |date=July 31, 2015}}

In India, the government inaugurated the Swachh Bharat Mission ("Clean India Mission") in 2014, a nationwide cleanup effort. Before this national consolidated effort for systematic and total waste management came into common consciousness, many cities and towns in India had already launched individual efforts directed at municipal waste collection of segregated waste, either based on citizen activism and/or municipal efforts to set up sustainable systems.{{Cite journal|last=Reddy|first=Dhana Raju|year=2021|title=Waste Management in India – An Overview|url=https://uijrt.com/articles/v2/i7/UIJRTV2I70022.pdf|journal=United International Journal for Research & Technology|language=English|volume=02|issue=7|pages=175–196|issn=2582-6832}}

In Ukraine, people are learning to sort garbage. Garbage is sorted in schools and kindergartens in Khmelnitsky.{{Cite web|title=Хмельничан навчатимуть, як сортувати вдома сміття|url=https://khmelnytskyi.name/uk/hmelnychan-navchatymut-yak-sortuvaty-vdoma-smittya|access-date=2020-11-30|website=khmelnytskyi.name|date=24 November 2020 |language=uk}}[https://www.ecobin.com.au/ Ecobin]

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that the infrastructure for recycling waste has not kept pace with the rate of waste production.{{Cite web|last=OLEM |date=2019-04-17|title=The U.S. Recycling System|url=https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/us-recycling-system|access-date=2022-01-09|website=US EPA |language=en}}

In Australia, Smart Bins have been introduced as a solution for waste management issues that the country faces. The AI-powered smart bin is equipped to segregate recyclables all by itself. Experts also claim that a smart bin like this may also increase waste-recovery rates in the country and help produce better quality recyclable products that will add to Australia's GDP.{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2022 |title=Australia introduces smart bins as a solution for waste management |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B927nzMJl2Y |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=WION News, via Youtube.com}}

In Turkiye, [https://sifiratik.gov.tr/ the 'Sıfır Atık' (Zero Waste) project], initiated and strongly promoted by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change since 2017, aims to reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste, encourage source separation, and significantly increase recycling rates across the country, with a target of reaching a 60% recovery rate by 2035. A key component of this national strategy is the phased implementation of a mandatory Deposit-Return System (DRS) for single-use beverage packaging (such as PET bottles, glass bottles, and aluminum cans), which began its pilot stages and is planned for nationwide rollout to enhance the collection of high-quality recyclables.

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In terms of plastic waste sorting and recycling, an estimated 9% of the estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste from the 1950s up to 2018 has been recycled and another 12% has been incinerated with the rest reportedly being "dumped in landfills or the natural environment".{{cite news |date=3 March 2018 |title=The known unknowns of plastic pollution |url=https://www.economist.com/news/international/21737498-so-far-it-seems-less-bad-other-kinds-pollution-about-which-less-fuss-made |access-date=17 June 2018 |newspaper=The Economist}}

{{Portal|Environment|Ecology}}

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• Automated vacuum collection
• Curbside collection
• Materials recovery facility
• Mechanical biological treatment
• Mixed waste
• Recycling
• Reverse vending machine
• Waste collection

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{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Waste sorting}}

{{Waste}}

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Category:Waste management

Category:Recycling