With the growing demand for more efficient and sustainable recycling solutions, three new Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) have recently come online, each designed to enhance local recycling efforts and material recovery. The latest facility began operations just two weeks ago, marking another step forward in optimizing waste processing. Developed in collaboration with the City of Phoenix, Republic Services, and Interstate Waste Services (IWS), these three projects integrate advanced sorting technologies to improve efficiency, increase recovery rates, and support long-term sustainability goals.

City of Phoenix: Pioneering a Circular Economy With Advanced Technology
Machinex has partnered with the City of Phoenix to help the municipality achieve ambitious waste diversion goals of zero waste by 2050 and contributing to a circular economy by recovering valuable materials. This 30 tons-per-hour (TPH) residential single-stream system, operated by Balcones Recycling, a Circular Services company, is set to transform the city’s recycling efforts. It features an integrated design aimed at maximizing recyclable recovery from curbside collections. This initiative significantly increases recovery efficiency compared to the previous system.
The Phoenix system is engineered with Machinex’s MACH Trommel front-end solution, two MACH Ballistic separators, the SamurAI® sorting robot powered by the company’s proprietary artificial intelligence, and 11 MACH Hyspec® optical sorters. This innovative configuration improves safety and efficiency by diverting small fractions early in the process, allowing for high recovery rates of materials such as paper, cardboard, HDPE, PET, PP, mixed plastics, and glass. “Having worked with the city for a number of years in different roles, I’m very familiar with Phoenix’s history of innovating in recycling,” said Will Herzog, Machinex Western Region Sales Manager. “This new investment will push the City’s recycling program back to the forefront of recycling technology.”
City officials echo this optimism. “The updated sorting system at our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is a game changer,” said Phoenix Public Works Deputy Director Eduardo Rodriguez. “Because the machines are so modernized, we’ll be able to capture more material with less contamination. We’re excited to have this technology to help us reach our zero-waste goal.”
“Balcones is pleased to operate the City of Phoenix MRF, installed by Machinex,” stated Brent Hildebrand, President West Operations, “the installation and start-up was seamless and exceeded our expectations in regard to how quickly we were achieving the desired results as contracted with Machinex.”

Republic Services: Upgrading Efficiency for Commercial and Residential Waste
For Republic Services in King of Prussia, PA, Machinex delivered a significant upgrade to the MRF which is currently processing 25 TPH of single-stream and commercial waste. The upgrade was launched in the fall of 2024. Equipped with MACH Hyspec® optical sorters and MACH Motion Floors, the facility has been optimized for clean paper recovery and high-efficiency handling of various waste streams. This upgrade further aligns with Republic Services’ commitment to sustainability by increasing throughput and improving sorting precision.

Interstate Waste Services: A Compact, High-Capacity MRF Solution
Recognizing the importance of a system capable of handling both residential and commercial single stream recyclables, IWS partnered with Machinex to develop a state-of-the-art solution for their MRF in North Arlington, NJ. “As a recycling leader, Interstate Waste Services is always looking to partner with innovative companies to advance recycling efficiency. That’s why we’re excited to unveil the Machinex system at our new North Arlington MRF,” said Mike DiBella, Founder and CEO of Interstate Waste Services. This collaboration marks a new era of recycling in the region, positioning IWS to improve material recovery rates while meeting its environmental stewardship goals.
DiBella continues, 'This system incorporates some of the most advanced recycling technology in the nation, including an AI-powered SamurAI™ sorting robot and seven optical sorters that will significantly boost capture rates and commodity marketability,' Designed to handle both residential and commercial single-stream recycling with a capacity of 40 TPH for residential and 20 TPH for commercial materials, the system includes key technologies such as the SamurAI® Robot and MACH Hyspec® Optical Sorters for capturing different plastic grades and fiber.
The system also features other advanced Machinex equipment, including a MACH Ballistic Separator, two 2-ram Machinex balers, compactors, a film capture system, a MACH OCC and fines screens.
Given space constraints in the existing facility, Machinex developed an efficient multi-level system, utilizing vertical space to maintain seamless processing and simplify employee movement. “Our engineering team took full advantage of the building’s height, allowing efficient system design despite the limited floor space,” noted Rusty Angel, Machinex’s Eastern Region Sales Manager.
Through partnerships with municipalities, public companies, and private firms, Machinex continues to lead with innovation, supporting diverse recycling goals across North America and shaping a sustainable future in waste management.