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TOMRA Recycling has launched a breakthrough AI-native platform alongside three new deep learning applications for its GAINnext™ technology, marking a significant leap in automated sorting. Unveiled at IFAT 2026 and PRSE, the announcement coincides with TOMRA taking a 51% majority stake in PolyPerception, a move that officially links real-time stream data with physical sorting actions.
The new AI-agent platform transforms waste analytics by introducing a natural language interface, allowing operators to “chat” with their plant data. Rather than scrolling through spreadsheets, managers can ask plain-language questions about purity or operational changes and receive immediate, contextual answers. This system goes beyond traditional reporting by acting as an autonomous agent that can create custom quality reports, set operational alerts, and utilize advanced search tools. These include “similarity search” for identifying fire hazards like batteries and “brand search” for tracking specific object types in real time.
To complement this progress, TOMRA has expanded its GAINnext™ ecosystem with three targeted applications designed to solve long-standing industry bottlenecks. The first enables high-purity sorting of food-grade PET trays with over 95% accuracy. The second identifies complex “copper meatballs” in metal streams to help recyclers produce premium furnace feedstock. Finally, a new high-throughput solution for aluminum beverage cans offers 33 times the speed of manual sorting with 98% purity. Lars Enge, Head of TOMRA Recycling, concluded that these launches signal a “true technology turning point,” as deep learning now links insights directly to action across the plant.
The Design Skills for Embedding Circularity pilot programme is launching an intensive six-week design sprint to address complex, real-world end-of-life product challenges. Funded by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and delivered alongside the Design Council, WRAP, and URGE Collective, the initiative pairs professional designers, design engineers, and researchers directly with waste management giant Biffa and major retailer Decathlon.
French textile upcycling specialist Losanje has closed a €6.7 million funding round to expand its industrial model, which transforms used, defective, or unsold apparel into premium new products.
SK chemicals has obtained authoritative Technology Approval (TA) from RecyClass for seven of its core polyester products, verifying their full compatibility with existing European plastic recycling streams.