Ericsson and Tomra want to let firms monetise their waste

Tomra Collection produces ‘reverse vending machines’ (RVMs) which collect, sort and process used beverage containers to be continually reused and recycled back into new bottles and cans, while Ericsson has its Ericsson Connected Recycling (ECR) SaaS platform that offers ‘traceability and trading of waste materials back into new products.’

The collaboration involves combining these technologies to demonstrate how companies can ‘monetise their waste as resources’ and improve their environmental impact by enabling ‘circularity’, instead of hurling waste into a landfill or incinerating it.

The idea is materials can be traceable from end to end to increase the ‘transparency, traceability, and optimisation of waste streams.’

“At Tomra, our mission is to drive circularity through innovative solutions,” said Marius Fraurud, Head of Tomra Collection. “Our reverse vending machines play a crucial role by collecting and sorting used beverage containers while generating precise data on these materials. The collaboration with Ericsson Connected Recycling, shows how this data can be used to provide complete traceability of materials from waste to new products. By combining our technologies, we are demonstrating how we can turn waste into a valuable resource and drive more sustainable practices in the industry."

Sophia Fahlen, Head of Ericsson Connected Recycling added: “We are excited to enter this collaboration with TOMRA. Ericsson as a leader in connectivity and digitalization, and TOMRA as a leader in collection and sorting systems.  This is a great opportunity to show how our combined experience and ability to execute at scale, could transform the waste industry, increasing circularity and minimizing the environmental impact of waste.”

The firms are showing it off their waste tracking solution at HPE’s Discover event, currently taking place in Las Vegas.

While there is a tendency for some discussions around the circular economy concept to lean into buzzwords without always sounding very specific on how it’s all practically going to work, if technology can be applied to reduce landfill use and make firms money in the process, what’s not to like?