It’s undeniable: resources will remain limited if we burn more than we recycle. When we convert plastic waste into energy via incineration, or let its toxic components seep into our soil in landfills, we miss out on the recovery of recyclable materials, as well as a great opportunity to reduce emissions and curb the effects of climate change. 

Mixed Waste Sorting (MWS), an intrinsic part of TOMRA’s Holistic Resource Systems (HRS), is a final stage solution for recovering recyclable materials such as plastics, metals and paper before residual waste is incinerated or sent to landfill. It serves as a recovery backstop for recyclable materials that are not captured by the two other processes that make up HRS: Deposit Return Systems (DRS) and Separate Collections.

Material recovery before incineration

By recovering carbon-intensive materials such as plastics and metals before waste goes to incineration or landfill, recycling rates are maximized and greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced across both waste and energy sectors. Adopting mixed waste sorting as a standard practice before residual waste goes to incineration and landfill could avoid up to 730 million tonnes of CO2e globally by 2030.

There has never been a greater demand for recycled content in the marketplace, and the trend is expected to continue. Yet common misconceptions about ‘dirty’ and contaminated plastic waste prevent momentous change that can significantly reduce global GHG emissions. Mixed waste sorting combined with advanced mechanical recycling unlocks the key to recovering and producing high-quality, odor-free recycled feedstocks. Finally, it is possible to create virgin-like recycled plastic from one of the world’s most abundant resources – municipal solid waste.

Until recently, plastics recovered from mixed waste were considered contaminated and of poorer quality. Today, automated sorting systems combined with advanced mechanical recycling transform these plastics into virgin-like recycled content through sophisticated purification and deodorizing technologies. The high-quality recycled plastics are ideal for non-food grade packaging, further accelerating the transition to a circular economy.