Four technologies connected with recycling and wastewater treatment appeared in Time’s 2025 list of 300 notable inventions. AMP, Greyparrot, Glacier and VVater approach the waste problem from different directions, but all use automation, data or advanced treatment to recover more value and reduce pollution.
AMP ONE is a full-scale, highly automated material-recovery facility designed to extract recyclables directly from mixed municipal waste. AMP argues that recovering commodities close to where waste is generated can reduce transport, extend landfill capacity and capture materials that never reach conventional recycling bins.
Greyparrot and Glacier both apply artificial intelligence to material recovery. Greyparrot’s compact Analyzer units can be installed above existing conveyor belts to identify 111 waste types and produce live operational data. Glacier’s robotic sorting systems can recognise more than 70 recyclable materials and are also being tested with bioplastics. Together, these tools show how better visibility can inform facility operations as well as upstream packaging design.
VVater addresses contaminants in water rather than dry recyclables. Its Farady Reactor uses controlled electric fields to break down chemicals, microplastics and biological contaminants at molecular level, offering an alternative to filters, membranes, chemical dosing and biological treatment. The four selections illustrate how waste infrastructure is becoming more intelligent, automated and capable of handling increasingly complex material streams.
Source: Waste Management World
