Sorting it out

How technology elevated operations at a regional

materials recovery facility facing real-world problems.

Tambo Waste is embedded in the local communities that make up Victoria’s East Gippsland region. The business has operated as a proud waste management and recycling leader since 1991, and offers comprehensive collection, disposal and recycling solutions tailored to residential, commercial and industrial needs.

But leading such a large waste management operation doesn’t come without its challenges. Brad Duncan, Group Operations Manager, says that shifting workforce expectations and the physically demanding nature of manual picking for days on end

make it difficult to maintain consistent staffing levels and to continue to be an employer of choice for the local workforce.

At the same time, when it comes to manual sorting processes, there will always be limitations, since people can only pick so fast. And, with limited space on the line to sort the material, too many valuable items can slip through the system and end up in landfill.

“We were just throwing money away,” Brad says. “We needed a solution that could pick faster and more accurately than people ever could.”

In mid-2025, Tambo began extensive research to find suitable sensor-based sorting equipment that could supplement the manual labour involved in the material recovery process. Brad says the technology needed to create a safer and healthier work environment, while lowering processing costs and increasing the recovery rate of commodities.

This lead Tambo to CEMAC technologies, a distributor of waste management equipment. CEMAC technologies supplied the waste outfit with the TOMRA AUTOSORT™– an advanced sensor-based optical sorting machine used to identify and separate target material for recovery within mixed waste streams.

“The AUTOSORT technology clearly stood out to us for its highest accuracy sensor setup, flexibility, reliability and low maintenance,” Brad says. “Paired with strong regional support, these are critical factors for a facility operating outside major metropolitan hubs.”

TOMRA’s AUTOSORT was designed as an all-in-one solution, capable of sorting a waste stream into five separate fractions within limited space. It was a perfect fit for the size of Tambo’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Brad explains that the equipment’s straightforward installation was also thanks to the diligent work of Eric Paulsen, Managing Director of CEMAC technologies.

“Communication and transparency throughout the project were standout strengths,” he says. Now, the custom-designed equipment sits comfortably within the facility’s small footprint, separating waste streams into paper, mixed plastics, residual waste, natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The complete AUTOSORT system includes a double valve block, speed conveyor and integrated hood and is fully integrated with the optical sorting controls. The TOMRA high-end flying beam NIR spectrometer can differentiate between waste components with ease. This allows Tambo to process material with greater efficiency and accuracy

– and is particularly useful for waste components that are difficult for humans to sort consistently, such as PET trays.

“The machine has given us cleaner products and bigger volumes,” Brad says.

“Especially in paper and cardboard.”

The AUTOSORT has also highlighted areas of inefficiencies within the MRF that have since been fixed, resulting in the facility operating closer to its full capacity. Brad says Tambo’s shift to automation, increased conveyor usage and modernised material flow has measurably improved team safety and future-proofed the working environment.

“Guarded conveyors, clearly defined walkways, and the elimination of some manual bin handlings have reduced risk across the MRF,” he says. “The process now moves seamlessly from conveyor to hopper to baler, reducing manual contact points and

creating a safer and more controlled environment overall.”

The AUTOSORT’s efficiency has given Tambo the ability to expand its operations and take on material from additional areas in East Gippsland and even interstate councils, if regulatory barriers such as permitting requirements, waste tracking obligations and differing state classifications are resolved.

Brad says the MRF is now well positioned for long-term expansion. “The AUTOSORT has had a positive impact on our workflow,” he says. “We’re now confident that we’ve got the right product in place to set us up for the future.”

Contact us to find a solution.

(03) 8400 6066 | info@cemactech.com

Article published in Waste Management Review, Issue July 2026.