Recycling : Machinex pushes modernisation of single-stream recycling in Quebec

Machinex announced the design, manufacturing, and installation of Quebec’s first recycling facility built to meet the requirements of the province’s curbside recycling system reform under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. The Montreal-Est Material Recovery Facility (MRF) was developed in collaboration with Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ), the Designated Management Organization (DMO) for this initiative.

Operational since 2 January 2025, the Montreal-Est MRF processes 52 tonnes per hour (TPH) of residential single stream recycling, making it the largest and most technologically advanced recycling facility in Quebec, with an annual capacity of 200,000 tonnes. This project marks the beginning of a new era in recycling for Quebec.
Operated by Matrec, a division of GFL Environmental (Matrec - GFL), this MRF will play a key role in modernising recycling and ensuring the sustainability of Quebec's economy. Machinex has designed a reliable sorting system that not only meets the current needs of the Montreal-Est region, but is also capable of evolving to meet future requirements.

Operated by Matrec, a division of GFL Environmental (Matrec - GFL), this MRF will play a key role in modernising recycling and ensuring the sustainability of Quebec's economy. Machinex designed a reliable sorting system that not only meets the Montreal-East region's current needs, but can evolve to meet future requirements.

At Matrec – GFL, our vision is to be Green for Life. This is at the core of our corporate strategy and central to the work we do every day. This new sorting facility reflects our commitment to finding sustainable solutions that enhance material circularity, helping our communities envision a greener future," states Yazan Kano, Vice President Strategy for Eastern Canada at Matrec – GFL.

"At Machinex, we are proud of our roots. We built the first MRF in Quebec, so contributing to improving recycling ‘at home,’ especially through a modernization of this magnitude, has special meaning for our team," explains Pierre Paré, President and owner of Machinex.

The Montreal-Est facility is a tangible step towards achieving the EPR objectives, with the circular economy at its core. By processing recyclable materials in an optimised sorting system equipped with advanced technologies and robust equipment, the facility increases recovery rates and enables them to be resold to local companies for processing and reintroduction into the Quebec economy.

This ambitious project was completed in an exceptional timeframe, designed, manufactured, delivered and fully operational in just 15 months. Its success is the result of effective communication and strong collaboration between all project stakeholders.

"Despite the tight schedule, the construction progressed smoothly thanks to the close coordination between Matrec - GFL, Machinex, and general contractor, Construction Bertrand Dionne (CBD). We implemented rigorous project management strategies, held weekly meetings, and adopted an approach focused on actively finding solutions whenever one of the three parties faced an unexpected event. This enabled us to deliver the project within the best possible timeline," says Sébastien Labonté, Project Manager at CBD.

Based on its extensive experience, Machinex has designed a system that is fully tailored to the needs of its customers. Capable of sorting cartons, glass, plastics (film, PET, HDPE and mixed), various types of fibres, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, this system integrates around fifteen proprietary technologies, including 17 MACH Hyspec® optical sorters. As the technological heart of the MRF, this equipment enables the separation of targeted materials at a rate of 3,000 ejections per minute, utilising hyperspectral detection technology combined with Mach Vision™ artificial intelligence, once again demonstrating Machinex's commitment to solving industry challenges.

Mechanical and hydraulic equipment is also integrated into the system, including MACH ballistic separators, a glass cleaning system and a plastic film extractor. In addition, it features high capacity Machinex balers, including one II-RAM baler and two Single-Ram balers. Notably, this sorting system incorporates the latest addition to the company's pre-sorting equipment solutions, the new MACH Screw Screen™.

The MACH Screw Screen™ provides mechanical pre-sorting of incoming material through size-based separation, reducing manual sorting and increasing safety by eliminating hazardous bulk and small items. With two patent-pending innovations, it features independent deck angle adjustments and a double-deck design that improves sorting accuracy. It also minimises labour-intensive tasks, allowing employees to transition to more technical roles. Its integration reflects a modern and adaptable design for a sorting system.

"This ambitious project, which marks a turning point in the history of recycling in Quebec, was approached differently during the design phase to meet the requirements of EPR. Among the challenges considered were the recovery rates, the system's flexibility to adapt to future unknown factors, and the number of various types of materials that needed to be sorted within the system," explains David Marcouiller, Vice-President of Sales Engineering at Machinex.

The modernisation of curbside recycling in Quebec, launched in January 2025, marks the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle. As the government-appointed management organisation, ÉEQ now oversees the curbside recycling system on behalf of producers - planning, coordinating and optimising all collection and processing operations. A key aspect of this modernisation is to raise the performance and quality standards of recycling facilities to ensure the optimal recovery and valorisation of recyclable materials.