RGS Nordic Invests in Robotic Sorting Plant for Construction Waste

The waste management company RGS Nordic is taking a significant step towards turning waste into resources with an advanced robotic sorting plant set to be installed centrally in Copenhagen.

RGS Nordic processes up to 1/3 of Denmark's total construction waste annually. Soon the company will take a major technological step forward in the way it handles construction waste in Copenhagen and the surrounding area to ensure better sorting and increased recycling. This is done in collaboration with Finnish ZenRobotics® and Terex® Recycling Systems who will supply a fully automated plant for the purpose to be  installed at one of RGS Nordic's waste processing facilities in Copenhagen.

"We are investing in a state-of-the-art sorting plant aimed at construction waste which cannot be sorted out well enough at construction sites. Using robotic technology, we want to ensure that valuable waste resources end up higher in the waste hierarchy, while better supporting our customers with accurate waste data that helps them document their sustainability efforts within the area of waste. We believe that there is great untapped potential in utilizing technology in our sector, and that the robotic sorting facility will therefore be crucial in achieving increased circularity for the construction industry", says RGS Nordic COO, Rasmus Brødsgaard Buch.

Increased recycling, safety and efficiency

The facility's robots can work around the clock, make up to 9,200 picks per hour and handle objects weighing up to 40 kilos. The fact that the plant is fully automated also increases the safety of the employees who work with the waste streams, as they often do not come into direct contact with the waste. The quality and quantity of waste that is recycled is also improved by the AI-powered robots, which continuously improve in recognizing valuable waste resources and can be adapted to sorting tasks, in line with customer demand and market opportunities.

Dr. Jarmo Ruohonen, General Manager at ZenRobotics, supplier of the plant, explains:

"There is a growing demand for more efficient waste management and documented resource recycling rather than downcycling of materials, and a robotic sorting plant of this caliber can deliver on both parameters. We are proud to announce that the plant we are supplying to RGS Nordic will be equipped with a brand new generation of powerful AI robots that effectively recognize and sort out waste resources. Now we look forward to establishing the facility in the coming months and assisting RGS Nordic with the operation".

The coming RGS Nordic robotic sorting plant is scheduled to be operational by the summer of 2024.