Long-Term Possibilities of AI in Recycling
Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Jonathan Levy, Director of Government Affairs, AMP Robotics | Thomas Brooks, Chief Technology Officer, Bulk Handling Systems | Lynn Hoffman, Co-President, Eureka Recycling | Raghav Mecheri, CEO, BinIT | Sam Dietrich, CEO, Prairie Robotics | Moderator: Jill Martin, Director of State Programs, The Recycling Partnership
This session will cover:
The latest developments at the intersection of artificial intelligence and materials recovery.
What to expect in recycling AI in the next five to 10 years and what that means for MRFs, communities and other stakeholders.
Important considerations around balancing the use of AI with wider workforce development, safety issues, evolving material streams and more.
The role of AI in opening up new avenues for industry data, especially as recycling policy pushes new reporting requirements.
Speaker Bios
Jonathan Levy, Director of Government Relations, AMP Robotics
Jonathan Levy is the director of government relations for AMP Robotics. In this role, he develops government outreach strategies for the company and works with coalition partners across the recycling industry to support recycling. With over 20 years of experience in government affairs, Levy spent 15 years at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries where he served as the liaison to ISRI’s plastic, tire, MRF, and education and training committees, helping members translate their ideas into tangible deliverables. Earlier in his career, Levy worked at the American Institute of Architects and prior to that served as legislative assistant to a Member of the New York State Assembly.
Jonathan Levy
Thomas Brooks, Chief Technology Officer, BHS
Thomas Brooks is the chief technology officer of BHS, where he leads new technology and product development efforts across the organization, with an emphasis on bringing new products to the market. Brooks joined BHS subsidiary National Recovery Technologies (NRT) in January of 2014 as the engineering manager and has a background in leading new product development and product issue resolution for aerospace, industrial, biomedical and automotive customers. He has been leading BHS’ research and development efforts as well as product development since 2017.
Thomas Brooks
Lynn Hoffman, Co-President/National Coordinator, Eureka Recycling/AMBR
Lynn Hoffman is a Co-President of Eureka Recycling, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. She is also the National Coordinator for the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers (AMBR). Serving the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and surrounding communities, Eureka operates a collection fleet and 100,000-ton-per-year single-stream MRF with a mission-driven, triple-bottom-line approach that balances environmental, social and economic benefits. Eureka aims to drive meaningful systems change by demonstrating ways in which recycling can be an effective cornerstone of a just and regenerative economy as well as support a shift toward source reduction and zero waste.
Lynn Hoffman
Raghav Mecheri, Chief Executive Officer, BinIt
Raghav Mecheri is the CEO of BinIt, the first provider of AI-powered hazard and contamination detection systems. BinIt builds both X-ray and camera-based vision systems for visibility into and data on material streams. These systems also detect hazardous items such as lithium-ion batteries. Raghav is a recent graduate of Columbia University, where he studied computer science with a focus on machine learning and intelligent systems.
Raghav Mecheri
Sam Dietrich, CEO and Co-Founder, Prairie Robotics
Sam Dietrich is the CEO and co-founder of Prairie Robotics, which offers the industry’s only truck-based AI for recycling trucks, capable of identifying contamination at the source. Prairie Robotics pairs this AI with an in-house education pipeline that delivers instant, personalized education to residents. Dietrich’s favorite part of his role is collaborating with cities to develop custom-tailored educational strategies while leveraging the company’s behavioral data to understand best practices.
Sam Dietrich
Jill Martin, Director of State Programs, The Recycling Partnership
After more than two decades of working for county government in Wisconsin, where she oversaw one of the largest publicly run recycling facilities in the United States, Jill Martin is now Director of State Programs at The Recycling Partnership. Her experience and expertise helps communities across the county to build strong relationships and engagement with stakeholders, including partners and residents – ultimately improving recycling across the supply chain.
Jill Martin
Back to the full 2023 Detailed Schedule.