TLDR:
Key Points:
- Amazon is funding a recycling robots startup called Glacier.
- Glacier robots are cost-effective, robust, and can identify more than 30 materials.
Amazon’s climate tech venture fund has invested in Glacier, a startup focused on building AI-guided recycling robots that can handle up to 30 types of materials. Glacier’s technology is cost-effective compared to other options on the market, and facilities can see a return on their investment in under a year. The market for recycling robots is expected to reach over $10 billion by 2030, as materials recovery facilities struggle with processing the sheer volume of materials.
Glacier’s robots leverage artificial intelligence software to identify various materials and can fit into tight spaces that other robots cannot. Amazon is collecting data from a commercial pilot site to increase recycling recovery rates and sort materials efficiently. The company aims to provide insights across the recycling ecosystem, from product-makers to recycling facilities to materials recovery companies.
Other companies in Amazon’s portfolio backed by the Climate Pledge Fund include CMC Packaging Automation, Redwood Materials, and Sunfire, all focused on disrupting traditional processes. Recycling robots and automation technologies are seen as vital for increasing recycling rates and building revenue streams by selling collected materials back to manufacturers. Despite challenges such as cost and adjustments to infrastructure, recycling robots show promise in areas where manual sorting is difficult.
