# When robots recycle with Matanya Horowitz of AMP Robotics

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-07-06
- Length: 32m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics

## Summary

Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of AMP Robotics, explains how his company uses AI and robotics to automate waste sorting, a sector where only about 35% of US waste is currently recycled. Horowitz details the transition from using mechanical claws to vacuum-based systems to handle sticky contaminants like dried milk, and discusses the economic challenges of making recycling profitable by lowering sorting costs below the value of the recovered commodities. He also describes AMP's strategy of selling robots to existing facilities while building its own green-field recycling plants to demonstrate the technology's potential and drive industry reshoring.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics#t=0) Introduction: The Problem with Recycling and AMP Robotics
- [1:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics#t=103) Origin Story: From Caltech PhD to Dumpster Diving for Data
- [13:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics#t=815) Technical Challenges: Switching from Claws to Vacuum Technology
- [20:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics#t=1212) Business Model: Selling Robots vs. Building Recycling Facilities
- [29:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics#t=1768) Market Dynamics: China's Ban and the Reshoring of Waste
- [31:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-07-06-when-robots-recycle-with-matanya-horowitz-of-amp-robotics#t=1872) Future Outlook: Increasing Recycling Rates through Automation

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- AMP Robotics (company)
- Caltech (other)
- National Science Foundation (other)
- Oscar Blues (company)
- Waste Management (company)
- Republic Services (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How AMP Robotics is changing recycling; Festo wins GM gripper challenge](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-01-06-how-amp-robotics-is-changing-recycling-festo-wins-gm-gripper-challenge) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-08-18-innovative-waste-recycling-ai-and-robotics-with-areeb-malik-co-founder-of-glacie) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [191 - Will AI help close the gaps in recycling? Apurba Pradhan from Everest Labs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-05-05-191-will-ai-help-close-the-gaps-in-recycling-apurba-pradhan-from-everest-labs) (People of Packaging)
- [Inside Glacier's Mission to Modernize Recycling](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-11-26-inside-glaciers-mission-to-modernize-recycling) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Episode 114: Reducing waste with robotics - Josie Gotz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-03-21-episode-114-reducing-waste-with-robotics-josie-gotz) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

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