Municipal Recycling
Eliminating fire risk and maximizing sorting efficiency with Solstice's real-time hazard detection.
~60/day
Hazards caught before reaching shredder
0 fires
Since Solstice deployment
24/7 monitoring
No human oversight required
Jeff Snyder
SVP, Recycling & Sustainability, Rumpke
““11 years ago we burnt this facility to the ground because of a hot load coming into the plant. That's a $10M loss we can't afford to repeat.”
The Challenge
A battery fire destroyed Rumpke's recycling facility - a $10M loss.
Manual sorting couldn't catch hidden lithium-ion batteries in dense material streams. The facility rebuilt, but the risk remained.
The Solution
Solstice's AI-powered X-ray system scans every piece of material on Rumpke's pre-sort line before it reaches the shredder.
Vision-language models identify batteries and gas tanks through dense, mixed material. A mounted laser pointer shows sorters exactly where to look.
Real-time composition data replaces manual audits. The system learns and adapts to Rumpke's material stream over time.
The Results
Since deploying Solstice, Rumpke has had zero fires. Approximately 60 hazards are detected and removed every day - items that would have reached the shredder under manual sorting.
What was once reactive and high-risk is now autonomous and preventive.
Cincinnati, OH
Family-owned since 1932, Rumpke is a leader in sustainable waste and recycling across the Midwest.
Every facility is different. We'll work with your team to identify where physical intelligence generates the most value.
