Sharp Eye Technology separates PET trays from PET bottles

Tomra Sorting Recycling says new application is made possible by higher light intensity.

Tomra waste recycling equipment has introduced Tomra Sharp Eye technology, which the company says makes separating single-layer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) trays from PET bottles possible and enhancing the previous capability of Tomra’s Autosort machine to separate multilayer trays. Small but critical differences in the chemical properties of PET food trays and PET bottles mean they must be separated for equivalent-product recycling, the company says. Additionally, artificial intelligence embedded in Tomra systems enables seamless analysis of sorted products, making future plants smarter.

Valerio Sama, Tomra waste recycling system Manager, says, “We expect our new Tomra Sharp Eye technology to be welcomed by collection-and-sorting plants and by PET regeneration centers. Demand for this is likely to grow because the widening international adoption of on-the-go lifestyles is increasing the use of plastic drink bottles and plastic trays used for fruit, vegetables and other foods.”