AI is taking jobs, but at least they’re jobs no one really wants. King County, Washington, is stepping up its recycling game by deploying AI-powered robots at its Recology facility. These machines, developed by Glacier, can identify over 30 types of materials, including PET plastic, aluminum cans, and even toothpaste tubes, sorting up to 45 items per minute. The goal? To reduce contamination, recover more recyclables, and keep more waste out of landfills.
Seattle now joins cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and Phoenix in embracing the AI approach to waste management. By optimizing material recovery and aligning with commodity pricing, these AI systems are helping to divert millions of items from landfills and cut down on CO₂ emissions.
Source: Kiro7