Southwark’s recycling gets a high-tech boost with ‘BOB’ the robot. Veolia has unveiled an innovative robotic arm at its Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility to optimise operations and make recycling more effective.
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Veolia and the London Borough of Southwark in collaboration with Recycleye, have installed a state of the art Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology-driven robotic arm that’s as accurate as the human eye. The new robotic arm, affectionately named ‘BOB’ (short for Bionic Optical Bot) by local Year Six class from Boutcher Church of England Primary School, focuses on separating paper, card, mixed plastics and beverage cartons from the aluminium line.
During a recent tour of Southwark’s recycling facility, the Year Six students had the opportunity to see BOB in action and learn about the importance of recycling in the local community. Their enthusiasm for the project led to the creative naming of Veolia’s new robotic helper.

BOB is made up of an AI-driven camera and a picking arm that sorts cartons and aluminium from other recyclables. The robot’s gripper uses air suction to pick up recycling from the conveyor belt, and drop it into the correct part of the plant. The robot can pick up to 50 items per minute, supporting staff to increase the quality and quantity of materials recovered. As objects pass the robot, they are also scanned and recorded to aid greater recycling data capture.

The introduction of BOB is particularly significant for improving the capture of aluminium, a crucial resource for many industries. This is especially true for the green technology sector where it is used to build wind turbines and electric vehicles, two products vital to becoming more sustainable. Improving the capture of aluminium will allow for more effective recycling to support the growing global demand for metal.
This project is supported by the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) which represents the top manufacturers of food and drink cartons in the UK and Europe.

Matthew Crane, Regional Manager at Veolia Southwark said: “We’re thrilled to introduce BOB to our Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility. This cutting-edge AI-driven technology not only enhances our sorting efficiency but also allows us to recover higher quality aluminium, which is crucial for the green technology sector. We’re especially pleased with the engagement with local students, who not only named BOB but also learned about the importance of recycling in their community. This project demonstrates our commitment to innovation, sustainability and community involvement.”