New national robotics hub to support innovation in waste and recycling

West London Waste Authority (WLWA) is partnering with Kingston University and a consortium of universities, technology developers, waste operators, local authorities and national bodies on a new £3.6 million project to support the adoption of robotics across the UK waste and recycling sector.

The National Waste and Recycling Robotics Adoption Hub (NORAH), led by Kingston University and funded by Innovate UK, is one of eight robotics adoption hubs being established through a £40 million government programme to help businesses and public services introduce automation.

The hub will support waste and recycling operators to test, validate and adopt robotic technologies in real-world operating conditions, with an initial focus on challenging waste streams such as textiles, mixed recyclables and soft materials.

Led by Professor Vasilis Argyriou, the project aims to address barriers to automation in the waste sector, where contamination and the unpredictable nature of materials can make robotic sorting difficult. Fewer than 5% of UK waste facilities have adopted automation, with many operators facing uncertainty around performance, return on investment and integration into existing operations.

NORAH will enable robotic systems to be tested using live waste streams, generating independent performance data on factors such as classification accuracy, throughput, contamination handling and material recovery. It will also provide economic modelling, benchmarking services, workforce training and support for integrating robotics into materials recovery facilities and other waste infrastructure.

Professor Argyriou said: "The National Waste and Recycling Robotics Adoption Hub will help UK recyclers move proven robotics from the lab into live operations, keeping valuable materials out of landfill, cutting carbon emissions, creating skilled jobs and accelerating the circular economy."

As a consortium partner, WLWA will help ensure the technologies are tested against real operational challenges and support collaboration between researchers, technology providers and the waste sector. The project will also provide opportunities for local authorities and waste operators to trial new technologies in live operating environments.

By combining research, practical deployment and policy engagement, NORAH aims to accelerate the adoption of robotics across the sector and improve the recovery of valuable materials from the waste stream.