Stadler, Everwave partner to deploy mobile sorting container

Recycling and sorting equipment manufacturer Stadler Anlagenbau GmbH has partnered with Everwave, an environmental company focused on cleaning oceans and rivers with the use of collection boats, to launch a project for the development of a mobile sorting container, SortX, to combat plastic pollution in rivers.

According to Germany-based Stadler, SortX enables the efficient separation of various materials, allowing scrap to be sorted into recyclable and nonrecyclable categories and ensuring plastics collected from rivers can be processed. The equipment manufacturer adds that SortX is compact, quick to set up and ready for operation, and its 6-ton weight is suitable for sea transport without restrictions, providing flexibility in deployment across various locations, including remote areas where material can be sorted directly at the collection site.

RELATED: Stadler launches WireX, new digital solutions

Stadler says the immediate processing and recycling of scrap on-site enhances the efficiency of cleanup operations and reduces the environmental impact associated with transport. Additionally, the company says SortX eliminates the need for extra infrastructure or costs for interim scrap storage. With the mobile sorting container, it also is possible to test the feasibility of new, permanent sorting stations at desired locations.

SortX is equipped with four manual sorting containers and a “robust” wooden floor, Stadler says, making it usable in a variety of environments. The frequency-controlled sorting belt allows for adjustable speed settings, optimizing the sorting process for different materials and personnel.

The SortX prototype has been in operation in Kukës, Albania, since mid-June. Germany-based Everwave’s collection boats gather the material, which then is manually sorted on the riverbanks before being fed into the sorting container. Stadler claims that around 33 tons of scrap have been collected, with SortX processing slightly more than 10 tons per hour. Due to the high proportion of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in the collected material, Stadler says about 80 percent is recyclable

The partners say they share a focus on environmental sustainability.

“At Stadler, we are dedicated to fostering a sustainable and clean environment, actively contributing to the circular economy,” Stadler Chief Digital Officer Julia Stadler says. “Our cutting-edge sorting plants tackle the growing mountains of waste globally by transforming waste into valuable raw materials. Our plants are designed to maximize the recovery of recyclables from diverse material streams, ensuring the highest purity in output fractions and significantly advancing resource conservation.”

Everwave says it is committed to making a significant contribution to cleaning oceans and rivers. Founded by environmentalists, the company says it focuses on developing and implementing effective technologies to remove plastic scrap and other pollutants from the world’s waters. The company aims to develop solutions that not only clean water bodies, but also raise public awareness of the need to protect natural resources.

“Everwave works every day to solve one of the greatest challenges of our time: the pollution of waterways by waste,” Everwave co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Tilman Flöhr says. “We collaborate with local partners and employ our technologies to collect, sort and process waste, ultimately closing the waste loop.”

Everwave says its trash collection boats prevent material from entering the oceans, and artificial intelligence (AI) aids cleanup missions by detecting and analyzing that material. Collected items are processed using eco-friendly methods, Everwave says, adding that it organizes long-term, comprehensive cleanup projects in countries including Serbia, Thailand and Cambodia and has collected more than 1,600 metric tons of scrap from rivers to date.

“A major challenge is sorting the collected material at the collection site, which is very difficult,” Flöhr says. “Thanks to the SortX mobile sorting container, we can significantly simplify logistics and establish the recycling chain directly at the collection site. In the future, for example, this will enable us to set up cleanup camps in remote areas. We firmly believe that cooperation is the key to a sustainable future, and we are very grateful to have Stadler Anlagenbau as our partner.”

Julia Stadler says her company is immensely proud of its cooperation with Everwave.

“Together, we have developed an innovative sorting container that demonstrates that recycling is not only feasible and sensible, but also economically viable,” she says. “The mobility of this sorting container allows for flexible deployment in various locations. … “So far, we have received very positive feedback from the market for the sorting container. We expect that this solution will be of particular interest in countries where the circular economy is still emerging.”

Stadler has published a video showcasing the Everwave partnership, highlighting the deployment of the SortX container in Albania.