Torma launches, X-Ray Sorting Technology to enhances wood packaging recycling

NORWAY – A new edition of the X-TRACT X-ray sorting unit, launched by Tomra Recycling, is transforming wood packaging recovery. 

According to Jose Matas, head of Waste Emerging Segments at Tomra Recycling, the technology uses X-ray transmission to analyze materials’ atomic density, achieving purity levels above 98% by separating wood from contaminants like metals, nails, and staples. 

“This allows us to distinguish wood from impurities with great accuracy,” Matas said.

The upgraded X-TRACT, informed by a decade of expertise and innovations from Tomra’s mining sector applications, offers improved durability and stability. 

It processes up to 33.6 tons of wood chips per hour, depending on material conditions, producing high-purity recycled wood for particle board, pallet blocks, and composite pallets. 

This enables packaging wood to be cleaned and reintroduced into new applications, supporting a circular economy.

In a statement, Matas highlighted the sustainability benefits, noting that recycled wood reduces reliance on virgin materials and aligns with regulations like the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. 

Recycled wood is increasingly used in particle board production and reprocessed into new packaging materials, such as monomaterial boxes free of plastic coatings.

Recent advancements in medium-density fiberboard (MDF) recycling are also significant.

Previously considered non-recyclable, MDF can now be processed through fiber-to-fiber techniques, allowing waste MDF to be transformed into new boards. 

Matas emphasized, “This is exciting not only for wood recycling in general, but especially for the packaging industry.”

The wood-based packaging sector is seeing steady growth, particularly in commercial and industrial applications. 

Plywood and MDF are favored for fruit boxes due to their ability to maintain humidity during export. 

MDF’s homogeneity and compatibility with digital printing make it increasingly popular, with recyclable MDF packaging gaining traction as companies invest in new technologies.

A recent report by Waste360 noted that Tomra’s GAINnext technology, a deep learning-based add-on, further enhances sorting precision by distinguishing between non-processed wood (Wood A) and processed wood (Wood B), like MDF and chipboard. 

This combination with X-TRACT delivers near-virgin quality recycled wood, opening new revenue streams for recyclers.

These advancements make wood packaging a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to cardboard and plastic, with growing applications in high-quality, recyclable packaging solutions.

As the industry continues to prioritize recycled content, technologies like X-TRACT are driving efficiency and environmental benefits in wood packaging recovery.

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