New on-site AI-powered sorting system performed successfully at seven recent World Cup soccer matches hosted at the stadium
REMADE is pleased to share that rStream, an Institute member, and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., have announced a partnership to modernize waste management after matches, concerts, and other major events.
Through the partnership, rStream's AI-powered sorting system now processes the stadium's full waste stream on-site, separating recyclables, compostable materials, and trash with approximately 99% accuracy.
The partnership supports Gillette Stadium's ongoing commitment to operational excellence and sustainability by transforming one of the most labor-intensive behind-the-scenes operations into a more efficient, data-driven process.
Large, high-traffic venues generate tons of mixed waste during a single event, much of which has traditionally been sorted manually after guests leave. The process is labor-intensive, physically demanding, and often limits how much material can ultimately be recycled or composted.
At Gillette Stadium, rStream's system automates that process by moving waste across conveyor belts where AI-powered cameras identify materials and precision sorting actuators separate them into recycling, compost, and trash streams within 24 hours of each event. Recyclable and organic materials are recovered, and the remaining post-sorted waste is sent to waste-to-energy facilities.
Across seven recent FIFA World Cup soccer matches hosted at Gillette Stadium, rStream sorted out 479,000 individual recyclable objects.
"A packed stadium is one of the hardest waste environments there is, and most of it still gets sorted by hand," said Ian Goodine, co-founder and CEO of rStream. "Proving our system at Gillette Stadium, at this scale, shows what is possible everywhere else. We are not just dropping a robot on the loading dock. We are giving the building a smarter way to run one of its toughest operations."
"Delivering a world-class event includes what happens operationally even after our guests leave," said John Flaherty, Senior Vice President of Operations at Kraft Sports + Entertainment, which owns and operates the stadium. "This partnership with rStream helps us manage waste more responsibly and efficiently while creating a better working environment for our staff and providing data that helps us continuously improve our operations."
REMADE is proud to have supported rStream as part of a research project valued at $1.89 million. The rStream team used the funding to design, build, and test benchtop-scale, alpha-, and beta-versions of their waste sorting systems, which included conducting pilot tests. The decentralized waste sorting technology that has been developed enabled the current system to perform at Gillette Stadium during the recent World Cup soccer matches.
Congratulations to the entire project team!
For more detailed information, go to: rStream and Gillette Stadium Partner to Bring AI Robotics
Above: rStream's AI-powered sorting system, a 30-foot integrated conveyor and sorting platform, combines computer vision, precision actuation, and machine learning to automatically separate the full waste stream at the source—offering a glimpse into the future of automated waste management at large venues.