Greyparrot Launches AI Platform Deepnest to Enhance Recycling Insights

Greyparrot Launches AI Platform Deepnest to Enhance Recycling Insights

Greyparrot, a leader in waste analytics, has unveiled its new AI-powered platform, Deepnest, which aims to provide brands with enhanced visibility into the post-consumption journey of their products. This innovative tool is designed to help track and unlock the value of recyclable materials, with the potential to generate an estimated $100 billion annually by 2040 if adopted globally.

Addressing the Knowledge Gap in Waste Management

A significant challenge in achieving a circular economy has been the lack of data regarding what happens to products after they are discarded. Deepnest addresses this gap by offering brands direct access to data on the performance of their packaging within the waste system. This includes insights into what materials are successfully sorted and recycled versus what is lost.

How Deepnest Works

Deepnest leverages Greyparrot's existing AI-powered camera systems, known as the Greyparrot Analyzer, which are installed in material recovery facilities (MRFs) across over 20 countries. These systems utilize computer vision technology to identify and categorize waste items on conveyor belts in real-time, creating a comprehensive database of household packaging waste. In 2024 alone, these systems processed and analyzed more than 40 billion waste objects.

The platform aggregates and anonymizes this data to provide detailed insights at the product level, tracking packaging performance by brand, material, product type, and region. This information allows consumer goods companies to validate their packaging designs and make data-driven improvements, reducing the financial risks associated with waste-related regulations.

Industry Impact and Adoption

The implications of Deepnest for the recycling and consumer goods industries are significant. Major brands such as Unilever, Asahi, and Amcor are already piloting the platform, which offers them the ability to benchmark their packaging's recycling performance against competitors. The platform also provides actionable recommendations for improving packaging design to enhance recyclability.

Mark Roberts, Circular Economy Director at Amcor, emphasized that the packaging industry has traditionally relied on lab-scale testing, which lacks real-world data. He noted that Deepnest is unlocking crucial recyclability data that has been missing from the packaging data chain.

The Role of AI in Waste Management

The launch of Deepnest aligns with a broader trend of artificial intelligence transforming the waste management sector. AI is increasingly being adopted to address inefficiencies and contamination in recycling streams. Currently, only about 19% of waste is recycled globally, with the U.S. recycling less than 24%. AI systems like Greyparrot's have shown the potential to significantly improve efficiency and accuracy in waste sorting, reducing contamination by nearly 40% and increasing sorting efficiency by 60%.

Conclusion

In summary, Greyparrot's Deepnest platform represents a crucial advancement in bridging the data gap between product creation and end-of-life management. By providing real-world data on packaging recyclability, it empowers brands to make informed decisions that can contribute to a more sustainable, circular economy. As Greyparrot's co-founder, Ambarish Mitra, stated, the term "waste" is misleading, as the data reveals that post-consumption materials hold significant economic value.