Until now, one of the greatest obstacles to solving the global waste crisis has been a lack of information: brands manufactured packaging but had no idea what happened to it after it hit the bin. However, by 2026, the London-based AI platform Greyparrot has broken down this wall with its Deepnest system. The AI-powered platform has now analyzed over 100 billion waste objects in real-time, showing manufacturers exactly which bottles end up in the incinerator due to design flaws and which successfully return to the circular economy.
An “intelligence gap” has existed between the packaging industry and waste management for decades. While manufacturers spend millions on sustainable design, the reality on the sorting belts of recovery facilities (MRFs) often tells a different story. According to 2026 data from Greyparrot’s Deepnest platform, approximately $100 billion worth of valuable, recyclable material is lost globally every year simply because systems fail to recognize or efficiently sort them.
A 100-Billion-Object Database: How the AI “Sees”
Deepnest technology is based on Greyparrot Analyzer units—AI camera systems installed in waste treatment plants across more than 20 countries. Positioned above sorting belts, these cameras identify passing objects in real-time with over 95% accuracy.
The system’s capabilities go far beyond basic material recognition:
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Detailed Categorization: The AI currently classifies waste into more than 111 different categories (ranging from specific polymers to paper and metals).
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Brand-Level Recognition: Deepnest can identify individual SKUs (product codes) and brands, even if the packaging is deformed, crushed, or contaminated.
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Mass and Purity Measurement: It estimates the mass, volume, and purity levels of bales, which is critical for the secondary raw material market.
While traditional manual sampling can only inspect barely 1% of the waste stream, Greyparrot’s technology provides visibility into the remaining 99%. While the system analyzed 40 billion objects in 2024, it surpassed the 100 billion mark by 2025, creating the world’s most comprehensive database of household waste.
Designing for Recognizability, Not Just Recyclability
One of Deepnest’s most important lessons for manufacturers is that “technical recyclability” does not equal “practical sortability.” Gaspard Duthilleul, COO of Greyparrot, pointed out that a package might be 100% recyclable in theory, but if sorting machines cannot recognize it due to its color, shape, or sleeve coverage, it will end up in a landfill.
The platform provides direct feedback to global brands (such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, or Unilever) on how their products perform in the real world:
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Regional Differences: A specific bottle may perform well in a Dutch plant but fail in a British facility due to differing infrastructure.
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Design Recommendations: The AI suggests specific modifications—such as reducing label size or switching polymer types—to make the product more “visible” to automated sorters.
Preparing for the Regulatory Tsunami: EPR and PPWR
Deepnest’s success in 2026 is closely linked to strict regulations coming into force in the European Union and the UK. Under Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) and the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), manufacturers will soon require hard data rather than estimates regarding the life cycle of their products.
Greyparrot’s data allows brands to:
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Quantify Circular Impact: Provide real evidence for sustainability reports.
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Optimize Tax Burdens: Pay lower environmental fees for packaging that is easier to sort.
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Build Closed-Loop Systems: Help reintegrate their own raw materials into the supply chain, reducing dependence on virgin materials.
Mikela Druckman, CEO of Greyparrot, suggests that the term “waste” itself is becoming obsolete: the data they analyze proves that post-consumer materials can be viewed as multi-billion dollar assets if the right technology is available to manage them.
Official Sources and References:
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Greyparrot Official Site: Greyparrot AI – Waste Intelligence Platform
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Deepnest Product Page: Deepnest.ai – Packaging Intelligence for Brands
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Official Press Release (PR Newswire): Greyparrot Launches World-First AI Platform to Unlock $100B in Waste Data
