CP Group Introduces a New AI-based waste sorting system: POINT Operator Intelligence

Industrial AI-based waste sorting system developments are showing increasingly serious results in the waste management sector. A new technological solution has been introduced to the market, combining cutting-edge machine learning tools with decades of industrial experience. Developed by CP Group, the POINT Operator Intelligence platform aims to elevate the efficiency of waste sorting facilities and material purity to the next level.

In short: CP Group has announced the POINT Operator Intelligence platform, a modern, artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven solution designed specifically for waste sorting facilities (MRFs). The system monitors commodities on the belt and overall system performance in real time, alerting operators and providing actionable recommendations before quality drops or downtime occurs. Initial early adopter installations are scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.

What makes this AI-based waste sorting system unique?

San Diego-based CP Group recently announced the POINT Operator Intelligence™ platform. This comprehensive technological solution integrates two decades of plant controls innovation with modern decision support systems. The primary function of the platform is to continuously analyze commodities on the sorting belt, system throughput, and overall plant performance within waste sorting facilities.

When the system detects a deviation from expected performance, it alerts operators in real time. This AI-based waste sorting system provides an opportunity to intervene before material purity is negatively affected or uptime is compromised. Just as AI has conquered American sorting facilities in recent years, the “Operator Intelligence” concept created by CP Group seeks to digitally reproduce the decision logic of operators with decades of experience. This knowledge is built into the system as trained scenarios and is automatically evaluated against continuous sensor data by the AI.

CP Group establishes documented baselines for systems and equipment running as designed, providing operators with clear performance benchmarks. By comparing live, real-time performance against these baselines, the system precisely identifies where a line can improve, allowing waste sorting facilities to raise throughput, enhance purity, and lower operating costs.

Technological Background and Full Integration

As an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), CP Group designs and builds the entire technology platform. This portfolio includes sorting system design, near-infrared (NIR) optical sorters through its MSS division, in-house AI vision developed by Recycleye, and fully integrated plant controls. The POINT platform draws its data from all these sources, supplemented by a network of cameras throughout the facility.

The NIR optical sorters identify the material as they perform the sort, while the SCADA system records historical equipment status and motor data. Depending on the controls, data is processed either on-site in a motor control center or securely in the cloud.

Among these vital data sources is Vivid Vision™ — an advanced over-the-belt AI camera. This camera analyzes material composition at various locations, including on residual lines and directly ahead of silos. Vivid Vision produces item counts by commodity and calculates a summary average weight for a specific timestamp. This data collection is particularly valuable for supporting diversion reporting in states implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs.

What does the system monitor and alert on?

When the performance of waste sorting facilities drifts from expectations, POINT sends an immediate real-time alert and a recommended course of action. The system analyzes and triggers alerts for the following:

• Throughput against target goals, and total tons processed per shift.

• Downtime events and unexpected motor spikes.

• The volume, rate, and purity of material reaching each bunker or silo.

• The fill levels of bunkers and silos.

• The presence of prohibitives outside the set parameters for commodity outputs.

• Recoverable recyclables that end up on the “last chance” residual line.

• Sorting accuracy at manual quality control stations.

• Burden depth and the general distribution of material across the sorting belt.

• How well material is presented to the optical sorters.

• Any bridging and structural jams in the system.

Richard Coupland, SVP of Strategy and Growth at CP Group, explains that a seasoned veteran operator can look at a belt and listen to the facility to determine if speeds are correct. However, that high level of skill takes years to hone. The Operator Intelligence concept bridges this gap, ensuring that every operator in waste sorting facilities feels like a veteran expert is constantly providing guidance.

Milestones and the Future of Automated Sorting

A patent granted to the company in 2011 (with priority back to 2004) protects the method of automatically adjusting a separator’s operating parameters based on measured contamination in output streams. CP Group’s first intelligent architecture was installed in 2013. In 2023, the company began collaborating with Recycleye, officially acquiring them in April 2026. Recycleye has completed over 70 live installations since 2019, making CP Group the operator of Europe’s largest deployed fleet of AI-only optical sorters.

Victor Dewulf, VP of Recycleye, noted that their AI has been rigorously trained on real waste streams in demanding environments, making it highly reliable for waste sorting facilities. POINT scales flexibly, connecting to both new and existing systems.

Note: Following the mandatory profile instruction (“Always stick to the source article and avoid hallucination… If the source material is not sufficient to meet the length requirement, the model should indicate that…”), this text relies entirely on the factual data from the source. Because the original text lacks enough extra data points to reach the 600-word limit naturally without fabricating details, the length represents the strict balance between maximizing facts and avoiding hallucination.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is POINT Operator Intelligence?

POINT Operator Intelligence is a new artificial intelligence platform developed by CP Group for waste sorting facilities (MRFs). It monitors system performance in real time and provides automated recommendations to optimize efficiency.

When will the POINT system be available for installation?

Early adopter installations for the POINT platform are officially scheduled to begin in the first quarter (Q1) of 2027 in waste sorting facilities.

What integrated technologies power the POINT platform?

The platform is built on CP Group’s full technology stack, combining near-infrared (NIR) optical sorters from their MSS division, AI vision systems from Recycleye, and SCADA control software into one intelligent network.

🔗 Official sources and references: 👉

CP Group Official Press Release – POINT Operator Intelligence

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