Recycling facilities are under growing pressure to sort more material, faster, and with fewer errors, while managing rising labour costs and shortages on sorting lines. Recycling robots address all three and are able to take on the repetitive, high-volume picking work that MRFs (materials recovery facilities) and waste transfer stations depend on, running consistently across shifts, accurately sorting waste without mistakes.Â
Global Robots supplies fully refurbished waste sorting robots and waste management robots from ABB, FANUC and KUKA, tested, warrantied, and ready to integrate into new or existing sorting lines at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
How Recycling Robots Fit Into a Sorting Line
Recycling robots rarely work alone. They’re usually paired with an identification system, such as an optical sorter, spectral camera, or AI vision unit, which scans the belt, works out what each item is, and tells the robot where to pick. The robot then handles the physical side: gripping, lifting, and placing material into the correct stream at line speed.
Most waste sorting applications use one of three arm configurations, and the right one depends on your material and throughput needs:
- 6-axis robotic arms (our core stock: ABB, FANUC, KUKA) are the most versatile option. They handle irregular, mixed, or heavier items well and adapt easily to changing waste stream compositions.
- Delta-style arms cycle fast and suit lighter, uniform items where pick rate matters most, though they’re limited on weight capacity.
- Cartesian and gantry-mounted arms trade some cycle speed for the ability to lift heavier loads over a larger reach.
Whichever configuration fits your line, the case for automation stays the same. The advantage of waste management robots is their ability to consistently pick and separate waste accurately and not be impacted by fatigue, which can result in errors. It’s an unpleasant job to do manually, and a recycling robot is able to take on the burden of this role and isn’t limited to shifts either, meaning it can work continuously.
Investing In Waste Recycling
Refurbished recycling robots from our range are commonly used for:
- Single-stream and dual-stream MRF sorting lines (plastics, paper, card, metals, glass)
- Packaging and container recovery
- WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling, disassembling e-waste and recovering components
- Construction and demolition (C&D) waste, separating wood, metal, and aggregate
- Quality control picking, catching contaminants in an already-sorted stream before baling
Refurbished ABB, FANUC & KUKA Robots for Recycling
We supply refurbished robotic systems from ABB, FANUC, and KUKA, the same industrial arms used across manufacturing and material handling, adapted for waste sorting and recycling applications.
Buying refurbished rather than new typically means:
- Lower capital cost for the same duty-rated hardware
- Shorter lead times, since units are tested and dispatch-ready rather than built to order
- Proven reliability and widely available spare parts
- Full testing and warranty before the robot leaves us, so you’re not inheriting someone else’s problem
Every robot we supply is inspected, tested, and refurbished to the highest of standards before we make them available to order. We also offer ongoing servicing and spare parts support to keep your industrial robots working at optimum performance.Â
Why Choose Global Robots
We’re one of the UK’s largest suppliers of new and used industrial robots, with decades of experience sourcing, testing, and refurbishing systems from the world’s leading manufacturers. For recycling and waste management operators, that means:
- A wide, regularly refreshed stock of ABB, FANUC and KUKA arms suited to sorting applications
- Rigorous in-house testing and quality control on every unit before it ships
- Competitive pricing without compromising on tested reliability
- Aftercare, servicing, and spare parts support once your robot is installed
- Guidance on which arm configuration and payload suits your specific waste stream, rather than a one-size-fits-all recommendation
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a recycling robot and a waste sorting robot?
In practice, the terms are used interchangeably. Both describe robotic arms used to identify, pick, and sort material in a recycling or waste processing facility, typically working alongside a separate vision or optical identification system.
Do I need a vision system as well as the robot?
For most sorting applications, yes. The robotic arm handles picking up waste that will be placed in a different pile or section, but it needs a vision, optical, or spectral identification system to tell it what material it’s looking at so it knows where to place it. We can advise on compatible setups based on your existing line.
Can a refurbished robot handle the same throughput as a new one?
Yes, the underlying hardware (payload, reach, repeatability) is not reduced because of a refurbishment. What you’re buying is the same industrial-grade arm, tested and warrantied, at a lower cost and shorter lead time than new.
What size or payload robot do I need for waste sorting?
This depends on your material stream: lighter, uniform packaging waste needs different specifications to mixed C&D or WEEE material. Get in touch and we’ll be able to recommend a suitable model based on your business’s operations.
Do you offer servicing after installation?
We provide ongoing servicing, repairs, and spare parts for all robots we supply. See our servicing page for details.
Talk to Us About Your Recycling Line
If you’re weighing up whether recycling robots make sense for your operation, or you already know what you need and want to see current stock, our team can talk you through the options, including which brand and arm configuration best fits your material stream and throughput requirements.