Page 30 - HUB-4 Magazine Issue 94

Material Recycling Facilities
Bjorstaddalen’s Fully Automated MRF
sets new standard for household recycling
Bjorstaddalen, a prominent Norwegian waste
management company, has commissioned a new
Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to provide
decentralised, cost-effective household waste
recycling using equipment from ZenRobotics®
and Terex® Recycling Systems.
even black plastics. Most notably, it is also handling complex
waste streams such as diapers and organics, materials that are
traditionally difficult to recover. In addition, the absence of
manual sorting has reduced fatigue, improved safety, and
allowed our team to focus on higher-value tasks.”
The system’s dual-action robotic arms, equipped with both
mechanical jaws and vacuum grippers, enable precise sorting
across a wide variety of material categories typically found in
household waste. The Fast Picker robots excel at sorting
diverse materials, including various plastics, paper, and
cardboard, while the Heavy Picker robots efficiently manage
bulky items weighing up to 40 kg. Additionally, the facility’s
modular design allows for scalable expansion, while its low
energy consumption and minimal operating costs make it a
sustainable and economically viable solution for communities
seeking to reduce landfill dependency.
Juha Mieskonen, General Manager, ZenRobotics and Sales
Director, Terex Recycling
Systems (TRS)/ZenRobotics,
commented, “This installation
Located to the south of Oslo in the municipality of Skien, the
MRF is now fully operational and has demonstrated
exceptional throughput and precision, processing 5 tonnes per
hour of residual Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) without the
need for any manual labour. This touch-free operation not only
boosts efficiency but also enhances worker safety by
eliminating exposure to hazardous materials and repetitive
strain tasks.
“Our Fast Picker and Heavy Picker robots are exceeding
expectations,” said Kristoffer Hauen, Operations Manager of
Bjorstaddalen. “We’re seeing high recovery rates from
household waste, including plastics, paper, cardboard, and
proves that AI-powered
sorting can deliver both
environmental and financial
returns. The robots operate
24/7, improving recovery
rates and reducing
contamination without the
need for expensive spectral
cameras.”
Kenny Hull, Product and
Commercial Manager at Terex
Recycling Systems, added,
“The modularity of our
systems enabled rapid
deployment and seamless integration at Bjorstaddalen.
Combined with ZenRobotics AI capabilities, we’ve created a
future-ready solution that adapts to evolving waste streams
and market demands.”
This new MRF complements Bjorstaddalen’s existing robotic
sorting plant at the same site, also powered by ZenRobotics
technology that processes up to 150,000 tonnes of
construction, demolition (C&D), and commercial and industrial
(C&I) waste per year. Together, these facilities underscore
Bjorstaddalen’s commitment to advancing material recovery
and accelerating the transition to a circular economy.
| p30 |
www.hub-4.com Sept/Oct - Issue 94