Interview with Thomas Wesian, Product Manager at Binder+Co
In a conversation with Dr. Petra Strunk, editor-in-chief of the magazine recovery, Mr. Thomas Wesian discussed innovations and challenges in the recycling of waste glass, the differences between types of waste glass based on their intended use, and spoke about current projects.
recovery: Could you please briefly introduce yourself and tell us a little about your professional background?
Thomas Wesian: I’ve been with Binder+Co for over 18 years. I started in mechanical engineering for sensor-based sorting machines. In this field, I had the opportunity to contribute to the development of a new generation of machines and later bring them into series production.
In 2016, I transferred to our U.S. branch to help establish our North American operations. There, I was responsible for the entire after-sales division. This period was very formative because I not only dealt with technical issues but was also able to work very closely with market demands.
Since 2023, I have been back at the headquarters in Gleisdorf/Austria, where I work in product management for the glass recycling and digitalization division.
recovery: This article presents two different practical examples. What distinguishes these two application examples?
Thomas Wesian: It was important to us to show that glass recycling has long since moved beyond the traditional model where glass is collected separately from other waste and then processed. That is, of course, still the ideal scenario, but in reality, glass also appears in many other material streams – and that is precisely where significant additional potential lies.
That is why we deliberately chose two case studies that do not represent the classic European standard case. We wanted to show how varied the challenges in glass recycling can be and that there are still many opportunities to recover waste glass as a recyclable material even outside the familiar collection and processing channels.
recovery: Looking more closely at the ENAGES project – what was the particular challenge there?
Thomas Wesian: ENAGES is about recovering glass from the residues of waste incineration – in other words, from a very challenging input fraction. In this case, the glass is found in the incineration ash and must be separated from a material stream that contains metals and mineral components in addition to glass.
The difficulty lies in the fact that the material may already have been thermally altered by the incineration process and is present alongside high concentrations of other materials. Nevertheless, we have succeeded in implementing a solution that allows a very high proportion of the contained waste glass to be recovered in good quality.
This is interesting for several reasons: On the one hand, it creates a valuable byproduct for the operator that can be marketed. On the other hand, the residual amount that must be disposed of is reduced. This improves the economic efficiency of the overall processing as well as the environmental balance. Such applications clearly demonstrate that glass can still be utilized as a recyclable material even when it does not originate from a traditional collection system.
recovery: What is the fundamental significance of such an approach for glass recycling?
Thomas Wesian: Above all, it shows that glass as a material has enormous recyclability. Glass can be reused time and again without losing its material properties. This makes the material very interesting from a recycling perspective.
Of course, the goal remains to collect glass as sort-pure as possible – that is, container glass separated from flat glass and, in any case, as free as possible from contaminants. Then container glass can be turned back into container glass and flat glass back into flat glass. But we also have to acknowledge that in many real-world material streams, glass is not cleanly separated. That is precisely why it is important to develop technological solutions to recover glass even from more complex fractions.
Against the backdrop of European circular economy goals, this is a central issue. Every additional material stream from which glass can be meaningfully recovered contributes to conserving resources and replacing primary raw materials.
recovery: A second example came from Brazil. There, the focus was less on technology and more on the collection infrastructure. What is different there?
Thomas Wesian: In Brazil, the technical processing of waste glass using modern machinery and processes is certainly important, but the key factor there is first and foremost the availability of the material. In many regions, glass recycling is not yet as established as it is in Europe. This means that before we can even discuss advanced processing technology, we must first ensure that enough glass is collected.
The example of MASSFIX illustrates very well that glass recycling in such markets goes far beyond mere waste glass processing. The company invests heavily in educational initiatives, community networking, and its own collection infrastructure. It operates its own waste glass collection points, collaborates with schools and local communities, and strives to raise awareness of the importance of glass recycling at both the political and societal levels.
This is a different approach than in Europe, where collection systems have long been established in many cases. In markets with low collection rates, the value chain must start much earlier. There, collection is not just an upstream step, but a crucial part of the entire business model.
recovery: That sounds like a considerable effort. Is it economically viable?
Thomas Wesian: Yes, because ultimately it is an investment in one’s own access to raw materials. Anyone who wants to process glass in such markets often has to first ensure that the recyclable material is collected in the first place. Of course, this costs time, money, and organizational effort. At the same time, however, it creates a material base that is of great economic value in the long term.
Similar models can also be seen in other regions, such as North America. There, glass recyclers sometimes organize the collection themselves, set up containers, coordinate logistics, and pick up the material directly. In doing so, they become less dependent on traditional waste management structures and secure access to a recyclable material that they can then process themselves.
Especially in markets where recycling structures are still being established, this can be the decisive step: first establish collection, then scale up processing.
recovery: How did the collaboration with MASSFIX come about?
Thomas Wesian: MASSFIX already had experience in waste glass processing and operates several sites in South America. In these markets, however, many processes are still much more reliant on manual labor than in Europe. This means that in many places, waste glass is still sorted by hand.
At MASSFIX, this process had already been further developed, but some of the existing technology was getting old and needed to be modernized. Binder+Co is known worldwide as a leading provider of solutions for waste glass processing, and so one thing led to another. Since then, we have been very proud and happy to be working with MASSFIX on many other projects and to be able to further establish glass recycling in Brazil.
recovery: If we broaden our perspective a bit: What do you consider to be the most important technological developments in glass recycling at the moment?
Thomas Wesian: An important topic is the further development of mechanical pre-processing, that is, the initial process steps at the start of the plant. One example of this is the so-called crushing and screening drum from Binder+Co. As an innovative solution, this replaces manual pre-sorting at so-called manual sorting stations.
This is relevant in several respects. On the one hand, it reduces labor costs and dependence on manual labor in a work area that is not only physically demanding but also poses significant safety challenges. Sharp-edged shards, contaminants, or problematic foreign materials such as syringe needles are particularly common at the start of the plant. On the other hand, the crushing and screening drum enables the automated removal of large contaminants while simultaneously gently pre-crushing the glass. The advantage here is that less fine material is produced, allowing subsequent sorting steps to proceed more effectively.
Such developments demonstrate that optimizations occur not only in the actual sorting process but throughout the entire processing chain.
recovery: You also mentioned the topic of artificial intelligence. What specific role does AI play in glass processing?
Thomas Wesian: AI is an exciting tool, especially where conventional optical methods reach their limits. Traditional glass processing relies heavily on transmission measurement during sorting. Put simply, the process checks whether light passes through an object or not. Many material differences can be derived from this.
It becomes difficult with dark glass, glass with labels still attached, or glass that lets through little or no light. Until now, such materials were often treated as contaminants, even though they are actually high-quality glass.
This is where AI helps, because it can evaluate additional features. The system then not only detects whether light passes through, but also evaluates shape characteristics such as fracture edges and structures, or characteristic contours. This allows, for example, bottle bottoms or necks to be identified, even when classic transmission measurement does not provide a clear result.
This allows previously lost glass fractions to be detected, while at the same time problematic materials such as ceramics or porcelain continue to be reliably rejected. This represents real added value in sorting.
recovery: Does that mean AI will soon replace traditional sorting technology?
Thomas Wesian: No, I wouldn’t see it that way. Conventional technologies remain an important component of glass processing. Camera systems, light sources, and transmission measurement have been optimized over decades and continue to form the foundation of efficient sorting.
In this context, AI should be understood more as a supplement – as an additional tool that can better solve specific problems. It helps where conventional methods reach their limits or where additional potential can be tapped.
It would therefore be incorrect to say that in a few years, only AI-based systems will be on the market. Rather, the focus is on intelligently expanding existing technologies and deploying them where a clear benefit is evident.
recovery: What detection methods are used in glass processing besides the classic light wavelength ranges?
Thomas Wesian: The most important basis remains the visible light spectrum. This is where transmission measurement, the distinction between glass and non-glass, and color sorting take place.
Additional spectral ranges are used for specialized applications. Glass-ceramics and leaded glass are typically detected in the UV range. For plastics such as Plexiglas, light in the near-infrared range can be used.
X-ray technology used to play a larger role as well, for example in certain separation tasks. In recent years, however, there has been a significant shift in this area: Many applications have switched to UV technology, as introduced by Binder+Co in the early 2000s, because it is more cost-effective to purchase and operate and, at the same time, involves fewer safety requirements.
recovery: Where do you see the greatest growth areas in glass recycling in the future?
Thomas Wesian: A major future topic is the processing of photovoltaic glass. Significant quantities will accumulate in the coming years because many modules are reaching the end of their service life. The industry is working intensively on recycling the panels, but the industrial scale has not yet been achieved in many areas.
In addition, I see great potential in the recycling of flat glass in general, but particularly in the construction sector. If we succeed in collecting flat glass separately during building demolition – rather than removing it together with other construction waste – we could keep significantly more high-quality material in the cycle.
recovery: What role do data and digitalization play in this?
Thomas Wesian: An increasingly important one. We see that operators need more and more support – whether because skilled personnel are becoming scarcer or because systems are becoming more complex. Data-driven systems can help here by making operations more transparent, identifying maintenance needs early on, and managing processes more efficiently.
So it’s not just about the machine itself, but about the entire system environment: How can operations be stabilized? Where can energy be saved? How can operators be better supported in their day-to-day work? In all these areas, digitalization will play an even greater role in the future.
recovery: What challenges is the glass industry currently facing overall?
Thomas Wesian: The industry in Europe is facing several challenges simultaneously. A major issue is energy costs, which directly impact the entire value chain – from processing to melting.
Added to this are regulatory developments, for example in the packaging sector. In some cases, the impression arises that other packaging materials are being favored more strongly, while the advantages of glass are not always presented to the same extent. This naturally also influences the perception of the material and thus directly affects the entire recycling chain.
For the entire glass industry and the associated recyclers, it will therefore be important to communicate their own strengths and those of glass as a recyclable material even more clearly, while simultaneously continuing to work on improving efficiency and quality through technology.
recovery: How is Binder+Co. adapting to the challenges in glass recycling?
Thomas Wesian: A key point is that we do not merely supply individual sensor-based sorting machines, but rather consider the entire process of waste glass processing. We build complete plants and possess expertise across the entire process chain – from crushing and screening through drying and conveying to the actual sorting. In doing so, we evaluate every single process step for effectiveness and energy efficiency.
In addition, we develop and manufacture the core machines ourselves. This enables us to respond very specifically to customer requirements and precisely coordinate the individual process steps.
Another advantage is our background in the primary raw materials industry. We bring decades of experience from sectors such as sand, gravel, and mining. This knowledge of processing technology – such as screening, crushing, or drying – translates very well to the processing of waste glass and other recyclables. It is precisely this combination of process understanding, machine expertise, and application experience that is a central part of our profile.
recovery: What is particularly important to you when it comes to the future of glass recycling?
Thomas Wesian: I think it will be crucial to strengthen the glass recycling loop at multiple points simultaneously: through better collection systems, more efficient processing technology, digital support in operations, and the development of new material streams such as PV glass.
At the same time, we shouldn’t underestimate existing technologies. Much of glass recycling is already highly mature and has been optimized over the years. In my view, therefore, the future lies not in radical changes, but in intelligent further development – that is, in sensibly combining proven methods with new technological possibilities.
Ultimately, the goal is to keep as much high-quality glass as possible in the cycle. That is the decisive benchmark, both ecologically and economically.
