Machinex has 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 January 2, 2025, the Montreal-Est MRF processes 52 tons of residential single-stream recycling per hour (TPH). This makes it the largest and most technologically advanced recycling facility in Quebec, with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons. According to the press release, the project marks the beginning of a new era in recycling for Quebec.
At the Heart of the Circular Economy
Operated by Matrec, a division of GFL Environmental (Matrec – GFL), this MRF will play a key role in modernizing, recycling, and ensuring the sustainability of Quebec’s economy. Machinex has designed a sorting system that is not only tailored to the current needs of the Montreal-Est region but also capable of evolving to meet future demands.
“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,” stated Yazan Kano, Vice President Strategy for Eastern Canada at Matrec – GFL.
The Montreal-Est facility is a tangible step toward achieving EPR objectives, with the circular economy at its core. Processing recyclable materials in an optimized sorting system equipped with advanced technologies and robust equipment has increased the facility’s recovery rates. This enables them to be resold to local companies for processing and reintegration into Quebec’s economy.
“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,” said Pierre Paré, President and owner of Machinex.
Tight Schedule, Challenge Met
This ambitious project was completed, designed, manufactured, delivered, and fully operational in a timeframe of just 15 months. Its success is the result of effective communication and strong collaboration among 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,” said Sébastien Labonté, Project Manager at CBD.
An Advanced Sorting Solution
Drawing on its extensive experience, Machinex designed a system fully tailored to its operator’s needs. Capable of sorting cartons, glass, plastics (film, PET, HDPE, and mixed), various grades of fibers, ferrous, and nonferrous metals, this system integrates around 15 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, leveraging hyperspectral detection technology combined with Mach Vision
– artificial intelligence.
Mechanical and hydraulic equipment are also integrated into the system, including MACH Ballistic separators, a glass cleaning system, and a plastic film extractor. Additionally, it features high-capacity Machinex balers, including an II-RAM Baler, and two Single-Ram Balers. This sorting system incorporates the latest addition to the company’s pre-sort equipment solutions, the new MACH Screw Screen.
The MACH Screw Screen ensures the mechanical pre-sort of incoming materials through size-based separation, which reduces manual sorting and enhances safety by eliminating hazardous bulk and small items. With two patent pending innovations, it features independent deck angle adjustments and a double-deck design, improving sorting accuracy. It also minimizes labor-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,” said David Marcouiller, Vice-President of Sales Engineering at Machinex.
Machinex has announced the design, manufacturing, and installation of Quebec’s first recycling facility built to...