Sweden – In an initiative to combat unnecessary fossil carbon dioxide emissions from plastic waste incineration, three Swedish cities—Vattenfall, Tekniska Verken in Linköping, and Umeå Energi—are pioneering the use of a revolutionary digital camera technology called FossilEye.
Waste incineration, a crucial service for energy recovery, becomes counterproductive when plastic waste is not sorted out, leading to unnecessary fossil CO2 emissions. FossilEye aims to revolutionize waste management by providing a smart and portable solution capable of identifying and measuring various plastics in waste streams before incineration. The overarching objective is to trace the source of plastic waste, incentivizing proper sorting and enhancing the overall recycling process.
Developed in collaboration with RoboWaste, FossilEye employs a combination of well-proven technologies, including advanced image analysis and digital camera technology. The portable facility scans waste in heating plants, swiftly determining the type of plastic present.
Prioritizing recycling
The ultimate goal is to create a system where it is economically advantageous to prioritize recycling from the outset. By using FossilEye to identify plastics and trace their origin, waste incineration customers can be incentivized to invest in increased recycling efforts. The technology aims to shift the responsibility for carbon dioxide emissions from plastic away from incineration plants and onto those responsible for the waste, promoting a fairer waste management system.
Testing and future vision
Vattenfall Värme, operating a waste incineration plant in Uppsala, along with energy companies in Linköping and Umeå, will test FossilEye in the form of a mobile prototype over the coming months. The vision is for FossilEye to become an accepted practice at waste-to-energy facilities not only in Sweden but also across Europe.
