Top Recycling Startups To Keep An Eye On

The recycling industry has grown massively in recent years, driven by government green goals and more eco-conscious populations. But when it comes to potential, we still have a long way to go.

In the UK alone, just 44% of household waste is recycled. And whilst you might think this is increasing year on year, it isn’t – as the number of waste being recycled in 2022 was 0.5% lower than what was being recycled in 2021.

Because of this, it’s important for consumers and companies alike to drive the recycling industry forwards – especially if we want to drive towards the government’s net zero 2050 target.

 

Why Is It Important To Recycle?

 

Recycling is hugely important for the preservation of our environment.

When materials are recycled, they no longer end up in landfill and are used to make other products. This not only protects nature, it also conserves the energy and materials that are used to create new products.

In the UK, increasing recycling is a huge part of the government’s plan for net zero. Through this, they plan to reduce the amount of materials that end up in landfill and are looking for ways to promote a more circular economy across different industries.

 

How Are Startups Driving The Recycling Industry Forwards?

 

Whilst the recycling industry doesn’t sound like the most exciting, startups are working to inject some much needed innovation into the sector.

Here’s how:

• Using AI and machine learning to sort though and separate different materials more easily.
• Rewarding people with tokens or creds for recycling.
• Helping people track the impact of their recycling efforts.
• Creating entirely new products from recycled materials.
• Finding new ways to tackle outdated systems.

So, who are some of the startups that we think are worth knowing about in the recycling space?

 

 

Itero Technologies

 

 

Our 2022 TechRound 100 winner, Itero is converts plastic waste into new products, removing them from landfill.

Described as a chemical recycling company, Itero uses pyrolysis technology to convert hard-to-recycle plastic waste into chemical products that can be used in other sectors.

Through this work, Itero is able to divert more plastic from landfill and reduce reliance on crude oils.

 

Sorted

 

 

Having just raised over £1 million in a 2024 funding round, Sorted is an AI-powered recycling tech business that allows pickers to more effectively extract recyclables, whilst giving managers real-time data and insights.

Proven to increase recovered value by 77%, the technology uses computer vision, spectroscopy and coloured lasers to help pickers find more items on recycling lines.

That way, more items are recovered and recycled, improving waste recovery by over 50%.

The Ocean Cleanup

 

 

The Ocean Cleanup is a not for profit company that is on a mission to drive the largest ocean cleanup in history. In fact, the company aims to clean up 90% of floating ocean plastic pollution by 2040.

By deploying their uniquely designed nets, the company is able to intercept items floating in seas and rivers, slowly removing them from our ecosystems.

 

Big Atom

 

 

Big Atom is a company that wants to create a more circular economy when it comes to tyres (pardon the pun!).

Using cutting-edge technology, the company turns old tyres into upgraded recycled rubber granules. These can then be used for a number of new applications, including playgrounds, items and more.

 

DePoly

 

 

As 90% of the world’s plastics are not recycled and end up in landfill, DePoly is changing the way that these materials are processed.

By breaking them down into their monomer structures, these plastics can more easily be made into new items and chemicals – without using heat or pressure.

 

Bin-e

 

 

Bin-e is an AI-based smart waste bin, deployed in public places to help sort materials from the start.

After rubbish is placed in the bin, it sorts and compresses it, providing information about how many materials it has to sort and when it needs to be emptied.

 

DEScycle

 

 

DEScycle is a deep tech company that is setting out to reduce reliance on high energy smelters, toxic chemicals and acids in the metal recycling industry.

Instead, they recycle metals from electronic waste with clean technologies like their Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES), that are more environmentally friendly. That way, metals can be recycled without harming the environment.