System enhancements advance regional diversion goals for South Hampton Roads

AMP Robotics Corporation, through its affiliate Commonwealth Sortation LLC (together, “AMP”), has increased the processing capacity of its facility in Portsmouth to 108,000 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually. The expanded capacity supports AMP’s 20-year partnership with the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA), the regional waste authority for South Hampton Roads. The milestone reflects the completion of planned facility upgrades and formal acceptance testing, confirming the AI-powered system is meeting established recycling and landfill diversion performance requirements.

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AMP’s AI-based sorting technology uses cameras, robotics, and pneumatic jets to detect and remove recyclables and organics from bagged trash.

Under the long-term agreement signed in November 2025, AMP will provide processing services for the municipal solid waste generated by SPSA’s eight member communities and their approximately 1.2 million residents. While the Portsmouth facility currently operates at 108,000 tons of annual capacity, the broader system being deployed under the agreement—including additional MSW sortation lines and an organics management system—is designed to process up to 540,000 tons annually once fully scaled. The integrated system will increase recovery of recyclable materials and reduce the volume of waste sent to the Regional Landfill, diverting at least half of the material delivered by SPSA to AMP facilities.

“This partnership sets a new benchmark for how municipalities can manage waste at a regional scale—increasing recycling and reducing reliance on landfills while working with existing infrastructure,” said AMP CEO Tim Stuart. “By deploying systems designed for long-term operation and reliable performance, we’re demonstrating a scalable model that can help communities everywhere work toward higher diversion and more sustainable waste management.”

“The Regional Landfill is a critical asset to the eight communities we serve,” said Dennis Bagley, SPSA executive director. “Through this partnership, AMP has deployed proven systems that meet strict performance standards—while significantly extending the life of our landfill. In addition, all 1.2 million residents who live in our member communities will become recycling participants.”

The project represents a significant investment in South Hampton Roads, creating approximately 100 local jobs and positioning the region as a leader in innovative recycling and waste diversion. With advanced sortation and organics management infrastructure, AMP and SPSA are creating a regional system designed to recover more material from the waste stream, extend the life of the Regional Landfill, and support long-term environmental and economic sustainability.

“Virginia is a leader when it comes to innovative solutions to protect our environment and build a clean economy,” said Senator Tim Kaine. “I’m excited that this expansion, through the partnership of AMP and the Southeastern Public Service Authority, will cut waste, create jobs, and provide a cleaner environment for families in Virginia.”

“This partnership between AMP and the Southeastern Public Service Authority will help reduce waste, create good-paying jobs in the region, and bring cutting-edge recycling technology to Hampton Roads,” said Senator Mark Warner. “It’s a strong example of how innovation can drive economic growth while positioning Virginia as a leader in next-generation recycling solutions."

AMP is currently equipping a second sortation facility in Portsmouth to extract recyclables and organics from MSW that the company expects to bring online in late 2027. A third facility, adjacent to this sortation facility on Victory Boulevard, will transform the captured organics via indirect heating into biochar, a charcoal-like substance that sequesters carbon. The biochar created from converted organic waste generates carbon credits; last month, AMP announced an agreement with Google to remove 200,000 metric tonnes of CO₂e by 2030. The purchase will enable AMP to add biochar production capacity, ultimately unlocking the potential to divert five million tons of organic waste from the landfill by converting it to biochar over the next 20 years.

About AMP™

AMP is applying AI-powered sortation at scale to modernize the world's recycling infrastructure and maximize the value in waste. AMP designs, builds, and operates advanced, cost-competitive facilities to process single-stream recycling and municipal solid waste. The company’s AI platform has identified more than 200 billion items and its systems have processed 2.9 million tons of recyclables. With three full-scale facilities and more than 400 AI systems deployed across North America, Asia, and Europe, AMP’s technology offers a transformational solution to waste sortation and changes the fundamental economics of recycling.

About SPSA

The Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) manages solid waste services for more than 1.2 million residents across eight southeastern Virginia communities: Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Southampton County, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach. Established in 1976, SPSA is dedicated to delivering environmentally responsible, cost-effective waste solutions. Learn more at www.spsava.gov or follow SPSA on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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“This partnership sets a new benchmark for how municipalities can manage waste at a regional scale—increasing recycling and reducing reliance on landfills while working with existing infrastructure,” said AMP CEO Tim Stuart.