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  • Outlook on the future role of robots and AI in material recovery facilities: Implications for U.S. recycling and the workforce

This content will become publicly available on September 1, 2025

Title: Outlook on the future role of robots and AI in material recovery facilities: Implications for U.S. recycling and the workforce
This study offers a comprehensive discussion of the future role of robots and artificial intelligence (AI) in U.S. recycling under different policy environments and its impact on the workforce. The state of recycling in the U.S. is changing rapidly, with techno-economic developments transforming the efficacy and sustainability of recycling and the workforce it employs. This study describes the technical, social, and policy drivers that influence U.S. municipal solid waste (MSW) management and explores pathways for more sustainable outcomes by focusing on different technology options for the sorting of recyclables in material recovery facilities (MRFs). This study presents four distinct scenario storylines for U.S. recycling by 2050 that contrast recycling and robotic futures, particularly with MRFs that maximize material recovery, worker experience, and economic competitiveness, respectively. This study finds that a recycling scenario defined by strong policy support for recycling and the addition of increasingly flexible, collaborative technology in the form of robotics coupled with AI-driven vision systems, offers the greatest potential for better results. Less certain is the role of MRFs by 2050 based on the full cost for public actors and substantial changes in private industry. Insights from this study can directly inform future techno-economic analyses, technology decisions, and policy recommendations.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1928448 1928506
PAR ID:
10546345
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Editor(s):
Jin, Mingzhou
Publisher / Repository:
Elsevier B.V.
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal of Cleaner Production
Volume:
470
Issue:
C
ISSN:
0959-6526
Page Range / eLocation ID:
143234
Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
Material recovery facilities (MRFs) recycling municipal solid waste (MSW) management future of work experience of work scenario storylines
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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