Ragn-Sells AS is planning to establish Estonia’s first artificial intelligence–based packaging waste sorting line. This innovative solution aims to increase the recycling of packaging waste while reducing waste incineration and landfilling. The project represents a major investment, supported by the Environmental Investment Centre (KIK) with €3 million, and its implementation will help elevate Estonia’s waste management sector to a new technological level.
Existing packaging waste sorting solutions are largely based on single-optical technologies and require a significant amount of manual sorting. This limits both sorting capacity and the quality of the output materials. The new multi-layer AI-based sorting line enables the automatic identification and separation of different packaging materials, including more complex fractions such as black plastics, composite packaging, and fibre-based materials. As a result, sorting accuracy improves and a greater share of valuable materials can be directed to recycling.
With the implementation of the project, Ragn-Sells’ packaging waste sorting capacity will increase from approximately 8,670 tonnes to up to 25,000 tonnes per year, while the recycling rate is expected to rise from around 37% to at least 57%. At the same time, the need for manual labour will decrease and the overall resource efficiency of the process will improve. The broader impact of the project extends beyond the company level, supporting national circular economy and climate objectives and creating preconditions for the wider adoption of advanced technologies in Estonia.
Haap Consulting was involved in the project during the funding application phase, where the technological solution, investment rationale and expected environmental impacts were aligned into a coherent and well-structured application in accordance with the funder’s requirements. The application focused on measurable outcomes, a realistic implementation plan and the project’s long-term contribution to the development of the circular economy.
If you need support with preparing funding applications or would like to assess the financing opportunities for your project, please contact us at karl@haap.ee
