Humanoid robots step onto the recycling line as waste firms battle 40% staff turnover
Sharp Group's recycling facility in east London is testing a humanoid robot called Alpha to sort through waste alongside human workers, aiming to address 40% annual staff turnover. The robot, developed by China's RealMan Robotics and adapted by London-based TeknTrash Robotics, is being trained to identify and lift objects on a moving conveyor belt.
Sharp Group's recycling facility in Rainham, east London, processes 280,000 tonnes of mixed recycling annually, relying on 24 agency workers to sift through debris on conveyor belts. The facility faces a 40% annual staff turnover rate, mirroring an industry-wide retention crisis. A humanoid robot, Alpha, is being trained to pick through waste alongside human workers. Alpha is being trained using a VR headset and a system that feeds it millions of training data points daily. The robot's humanoid design allows it to fit into existing infrastructure without requiring expensive plant redesign. The waste sector experiences work-related injury and ill-health rates 45% higher than the national average, making the potential for robotic assistance significant.
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