Waste Management (WM) increased its US recycling processing capacity by 300,000 metric tonnes (t) in the first quarter, following the opening of new plants in Detroit and the Canadian province of Ontario and upgrading automation at its south Florida site, now its largest single-stream facility.
The additional capacity allows WM to target growth in domestic recycling demand, with 80pc of recycled material remaining in the US and Canada, the company said. Recycling prices averaged $65/t in the first quarter, down from $88/t a year earlier, but volumes rose by 9pc and operational efficiency increased.
WM said it remains on track to complete the sustainability capital expenditure program announced in 2023, which includes construction and upgrades of 43 recycling facilities and forms part of a four-year, $2.2bn investment program aimed at expanding capacity and improving material recovery rates.
Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) -enabled quality controls have helped offset lower prices by improving material quality and reducing processing costs. Geopolitical disruptions have not affected recycling operations, but WM is monitoring freight disruptions, which have not yet affected demand for its products.
One of the AI automations highlighted by the company was the use of "smart trucks", which capture 300mn images a year during collections. This data is used to assess contamination, recyclability and pricing, and improved material routing.
