Cheshire West Recycling (CWR) has increased the amount of contamination removed at its manual sorting cabin by 12% over the past year after introducing continuous material monitoring from Greyparrot.

:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}'s Analyzer provides continuous visibility into material moving through the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), helping CWR make decisions on sorting, staffing, maintenance and material losses based on data.

From “touch and feel” to continuous monitoring

CWR operates an MRF in Ellesmere Port, processing approximately 35,000 tonnes of material per year collected from around 170,000 households across Cheshire West and Chester.

Before the Analyzer was installed, the team had limited visibility into detailed material flows and relied largely on operational experience to make decisions about line performance, staffing and maintenance.

With continuous monitoring in place, CWR reduced throughput by around 13% while keeping total tonnes processed broadly steady. The slower, more consistent material flow gave manual sorters more opportunity to identify and remove contamination.

The result was a 12% increase in contamination removed at the sorting cabin over the last year.

More than 100 tonnes of aluminium identified

The same data is also being used to investigate material losses. Greyparrot's monitoring identified approximately 100+ tonnes of aluminium in mixed plastics bales since installation.

According to CWR, this represents more than £100,000 in potential lost revenue. The data also indicated a trend of the site's eddy current separator underperforming, helping the company build a business case for replacement and assess potential EPR funding.

Preparing for DRS and EPR

CWR is also using the data to model the potential impact of the UK's Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), expected to affect the composition and value of material entering the kerbside recycling stream.

The analysis is being used to estimate potential material and revenue losses and to support discussions with the council and CWR's board.

The case illustrates how continuous waste intelligence can be used not only to monitor an MRF, but also to support decisions on sorting performance, material recovery, maintenance, investment and regulatory planning.

Source: Greyparrot case study, September 28, 2026.

Read the full case study: Greyparrot – Cheshire West Recycling