In Frauenfeld, AI is driving a new PET sorting plant

The Frauenfeld-based company Müller Recycling has been sorting PET beverage bottles for over thirty years.

The two plants in the Canton of Aargau, dating back to 2004 and 2015 respectively, are about to be replaced with latest generation modules.

The infrastructure developed by the Swiss machine manufacturer Borema Umwelttechnik, based in Schwarzenbach in the canton of St. Gallen, is in fact the first to exploit the advantages of artificial intelligence.

Thanks to this investment, the closed loop in the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate is ensured in the long term.

Sorting plants are key elements in the Swiss PET recycling system.

The more carefully beverage bottles made of this material are separated from incompatible substances and sorted by color, the higher the quality of the recycled polyethylene terephthalate, which can be produced using the collected material.

Since beverage bottles are re-produced using recycled PET, high requirements in terms of quality and food safety must be met.

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From now on up to 49 bottles per second, and with an accuracy of 99,96 percent

In addition to latest generation laser sensors and infrared proximity sensors, Müller Recycling uses artificial intelligence for the first time.

Thanks to this, the collected material can be identified and divided even more precisely.

The new system is capable of sorting up to 49 bottles per second, and with an accuracy of 99,96 percent.

Jean-Claude Würmli, Director of the PET-Recycling Schweiz association, is enthusiastic about this new facility.

“The Müller Recycling AG company has been investing in PET recycling for over three decades, contributing significantly to ensuring that its cycle takes place entirely in Switzerland”, He says.

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There is an advanced photovoltaic system in compliance with the Paris Climate Agreement

This year the sorting hall and all other halls at Müller Recycling were equipped with photovoltaic modules.

These panels provide a significant portion of the electricity for the new plant and help make polyethylene terephthalate recycling even more environmentally sustainable.

With the new plant and the transition to green energy, the company is making a significant contribution so that PET recycling can reach the 2030 degrees centigrade target set by the Paris Climate Agreement by 1,5 at the latest .

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800 tons of PET beverage bottles when the company launched in 1992

In 1992, the company Müller Recycling AG opened Switzerland's first polyethylene terephthalate sorting plant.

At the time, 800 tons of PET beverage bottles were manually sorted every year.

In 1994, the first sorting modules were added to the manual sorting.

In 2004 and 2015, the plant was expanded and modernized.

The 2004 plant is now completely replaced, while the 2015 plant is integrated with new sorting modules.

By relying on Swiss partners, such as the company Borema Umwelttechnik AG, the value creation and know-how for this future-oriented industrial branch remain on Swiss territory.

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Müller Recycling's history has also included ferrous scrap and metals for six decades

The recycling and disposal company Müller Recycling AG based in Frauenfeld has been making a significant contribution to the recycling of waste and the recovery of reusable materials for six decades.

The main activity is the recycling of ferrous scrap and non-ferrous metals as well as the sorting of PET beverage bottles and hollow bodies made of synthetic materials.

The company Müller Recycling AG collects, sorts, breaks down and processes waste metal, plastic and other recyclable materials as a preliminary step to industrial recycling.

Its customers are commercial and industrial companies, cities, municipalities and collection organizations.

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PET-Recycling Schweiz, a union since 1990 for innovation and green energy

The association PET-Recycling Switzerland was founded in 1990 and since the entry into force of the Beverage Packaging Ordinance (OIB) it has been dealing with the collection and recycling of polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottles.

Together with its members, the beverage industry and retail establishments, the association has set itself the objective of transforming, through innovation, the use of green energy and investments in a very modern waste collection and recycling infrastructure. materials.

The PET bottle in Switzerland's most environmentally friendly beverage packaging was thus created.

With this it provides an important contribution to environmental protection and against the waste of precious natural resources.

In 2022, the Swiss polyethylene terephthalate recycling sector has also set itself the goal of aligning itself with the Paris Climate Agreement by aiming for a maximum temperature increase of 1,5 degrees Celsius.

And it must be said that the PET-Recycling Schweiz partnership is a member of the umbrella association Swiss Recycle, of the clean environment interest group (IGSU) and of Allianz Design for Recycling Plastics.

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