A novel AI machine learning tool to maximise productivity and profitability for plastics recyclers and improve commercial viability of currently unrecyclable, low grade recovered polymer; reducing plastic waste by 283kt/annum and emissions by 870kt/annum.

In the current Covid pandemic, plastics are making a comeback. Concern for hygiene and plummeting oil prices have come together in a perfect storm, with a massive surge in production of PPE, water bottles, take-away food containers, pre-packaged produce, and home deliveries wrapped in single-use plastic bags; which will have long term environmental impacts.

However, the plastics recycling sector has taken a severe hit. With the price of virgin plastics plummeting due to low oil prices, recyclers are currently unable to compete; jeopardising the economic viability of plastics recyclers. In addition, industries have been faced with direct disruption by Covid-19 -- recyclers are seeing lower order volumes as many of their customers are also operating at a reduced capacity -- creating redundancies from reduced demand and lower revenues. This has added severe pressure to an already highly price sensitive and competitive sector.

This project seeks to address these challenges for recyclers, enabling them to recover from the effects of the Covid pandemic, developing a new AI machine learning tool that will increase their productivity and profitability and consequently support the UK plastics recycling sector in '_building back better_'.