TOMRA launches next-generation AI platform and expands GAINnext™ ecosystem with new deep learning applications

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TOMRA Recycling has unveiled a breakthrough AI-native platform from PolyPerception and introduced three new deep learning applications for its award-winning GAINnext™ technology. The innovations were presented at IFAT 2026 in Munich and PRSE in Amsterdam, highlighting the company’s continued focus on advancing AI‑driven sorting solutions. The announcement coincides with TOMRA increasing its investment in PolyPerception to a 51 per cent majority stake, closing the loop between real-time stream data and physical sorting action.

From reporting to interpreting: An AI agent for recycling

PolyPerception’s new AI‑agent platform marks an impressive evolution of its Waste Analyser – an AI‑powered waste analytics solution that improves sorting performance through end‑to‑end material tracking. One of the most significant breakthroughs is the natural language interface. Operators can now 'chat' with their plant data in plain language, asking questions such as ‘How did changing the settings on the recovery line affect our purity?’. With AI as its core, the platform understands the context and provides immediate natural language answers accompanied by data breakdowns, removing the technical barrier between complex spreadsheets and operational decision-making.

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While traditional AI tools in the industry are limited to 'reading' and reporting data, this platform also has 'writing' capabilities, enabling it to act like an agent within the plant. Rather than just observing material streams, it can actively create custom quality reports and set operational alerts in seconds based on its deep domain knowledge of the recycling process.

“With the introduction of our new agent-based platform, recycling plants now gain a new cognitive layer,” says Nicolas Braem, CEO and Co-Founder of PolyPerception. “Data is no longer just reported – it is interpreted, explained and transformed into relevant insights in a few seconds. Operators can interact naturally with their plant, ask questions, explore material behavior and receive clear, actionable answers in real time.”

Open data and advanced search features

This groundbreaking technology provides full transparency by allowing recyclers to integrate plant data directly into their existing management systems. This enables managers to query waste statistics or purity levels through their own dashboards without needing to log into a separate system.

The platform also introduces two powerful new search methods to help plants respond to changing material streams:

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• Similarity search: Operators can right-click a problematic object, such as an electronic vape, to instantly identify every other visually similar item in the stream. This is critical for spotting fire hazards like batteries without the need to train a new AI model.
• Text and brand search: Users can search for specific brands or object types, such as 'filled refuse bags' or 'diapers', to see exactly what is passing through the facility in real time.

“AI has always been part of TOMRA’s DNA, but we are now entering an entirely new phase," says Lars Enge, EVP and Head of TOMRA Recycling. "With our acquisition of a majority stake in PolyPerception, we are moving beyond AI as a sorting tool to AI as a central intelligence for the recycling plant. By combining our advanced sorting systems and digital solutions with PolyPerception’s AI platform we are creating an end-to-end solution that doesn’t just optimise machines but fundamentally redefines how plants operate.”

Expanding the GAINnext™ ecosystem

To complement this technological progress, TOMRA is also introducing three new deep learning applications for its GAINnext™ ecosystem. This solution targets long-standing industry bottlenecks where traditional sensor-based sorting has reached its limits.

The first application addresses the rising demand for food-grade PET trays as tray material is becoming a critical new feedstock alongside bottles. By training GAINnext™ on thousands of images, the system can now distinguish between takeaway or supermarket trays and consumer or medical packaging based on shape and use. This breakthrough achieves purity levels over 95 per cent, demonstrating that PET tray sorting is no longer a technical challenge but a viable business case.

In the metals sector, TOMRA is launching a high-precision application for 'copper meatballs', supporting a steel market that is starting its journey towards decarbonisation. The new GAINnext™ automatically identifies complex copper-steel composites, such as motor armatures, even in oxidised or dirty streams, delivering outstanding selectivity and helping recyclers to upgrade rebar-grade scrap to premium furnace feedstock.

The third addition is a high-throughput solution for used beverage can (UBC) aluminum recovery from packaging streams – an application that was successfully launched in North America and has now been adapted for the European market. The GAINnext™ UBC application offers up to 33 times more throughput than manual sorting, delivering 98 per cent purity or higher. By instantly detecting and ejecting non-UBC materials, the system provides a more efficient, automated path for aluminum can-to-can recycling.

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Technology turning point

"These launches signal a true technology turning point for the industry," Enge concludes. "Deep learning is no longer just enhancing individual processes or tackling increasingly complex sorting challenges – it is linking insights directly to action across the plant. We are moving beyond high-speed detection toward a new era of intelligent, connected sorting, where complex challenges are solved and data is understood, contextualised and communicated directly to the operator. Once again, TOMRA is at the forefront of innovation, translating today’s most advanced AI into real, measurable value for customers."

TOMRA Recycling  

 With 11,900 sorting systems installed in more than 100 countries, TOMRA Recycling is a global leader in sensor-based sorting solutions for the recycling and waste management industry. The company’s mission is clear: harness the latest AI technologies to help customers turn waste into value.

TOMRA Recycling was the first to develop advanced waste and metal sorting applications using high-capacity near-infrared (NIR) technology, and the first to introduce AI technologies based on deep learning to the recycling industry. Its product portfolio includes systems for resource recovery and material upgrading across a wide range of streams.

Note: This article has been issued by TOMRA and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.