If you’re staring at a mountain of mixed PET, PVC, and PP and wondering what a plastic sorting machine actually costs, you’re not alone. Pricing spreads from the price of a used pickup to the price of a small house. Below is the no-fluff breakdown buyers ask for when budgets are on the table.
1. Machine Categories & Typical Prices (Q2 2024)
| Category | Throughput | Core Tech | New Price Range (USD) | Used Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color Sorter | 0.5–2 t/h | RGB cameras | $18,000 – $55,000 | $9,000 – $25,000 |
| NIR Sorter | 1–6 t/h | Near-infrared | $45,000 – $180,000 | $25,000 – $90,000 |
| Electrostatic | 0.2–1 t/h | Triboelectric | $35,000 – $110,000 | Rare on secondary market |
| Sink-Float Tank | 1–4 t/h | Density | $12,000 – $40,000 | $5,000 – $20,000 |
| AI Combo | 2–8 t/h | NIR + AI vision | $120,000 – $300,000 | Not widely available |
Prices are FOB Shanghai; freight and duty add 8–12 %.
2. Real-World Quotes
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12-channel RGB sorter (Turkey, 2023): $28,500 delivered, 1-year warranty.
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Bühler NIR (Germany, refurbished): $67,000, 6-month parts warranty.
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Electrostatic PVC/PP line (USA, new): $89,000 including air knives and hopper.
All figures include commissioning and basic training.
3. Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
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Air compressor: $1,200–$4,000 (NIR units need 6 bar oil-free air).
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Platform & ladder: $800–$3,000 for safe access.
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Spare chute kit: $500–$1,200 if you switch resin frequently.
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Calibration disks: $150 per set; budget two sets per year.
Expect 5–7 % of purchase price annually for wear parts (belts, lamps, ejector valves).
4. What Drives Price?
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Sensor count – 64 vs 256 NIR pixels raises cost ~20 %.
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Belt width – 800 mm vs 1600 mm doubles price.
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Software tier – AI learning license adds $5k–$15k.
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Compliance – ATEX or UL panels tack on 10–15 %.
5. Payback Examples
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Mexican PET recycler: 2 t/h NIR sorter at $72k. Mixed PET → clear flakes premium $120/t. ROI in 10 months.
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Canadian PE film plant: Color sorter at $31k. Reduced off-color scrap 2 %, saving $18k/month. Payback in 7 weeks.
Rule of thumb: If you handle >1,000 t/year, a mid-range NIR sorter usually pays for itself in under 18 months.
6. Buying Checklist
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Ask for test runs on your actual flake. Reject spec sheets alone.
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Demand MTBF data: Good ejector valves last >30 million cycles.
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Check local service: 48-hour parts availability is critical for uptime.
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Verify training hours: Minimum 8 hours for operators, 4 for maintenance.
7. Used vs New?
Used color sorters (3–5 years old) lose 35–50 % value but still hit 95 % accuracy if belts and lamps are fresh. NIR sensors degrade more slowly; 7-year-old units often perform within spec. Always run a 3-hour FAT (factory acceptance test) before payment.
8. 2024 Market Trends
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China tariffs: 7.5 % on used NIR gear → U.S. buyers pivot to EU stock.
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AI add-on kits: Retrofit existing sorters for $4k–$8k, gaining PVC detection accuracy from 92 % to 99 %.
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Lease programs: 0 % for 24 months on machines >$100k; treat as OpEx.
Summary
A plastic sorting machine costs anywhere from $12k for a basic sink-float tank to $300k for an AI-enhanced NIR line. Pin down your material mix, throughput target, and tolerance for downtime, then insist on a live test before signing.
Comments(12)
Wow, the price range is way broader than I expected! That AI Combo machine sounds like a beast though. 💪
Interesting breakdown, but I wonder why electrostatic sorters are so rare on secondary market? Does anyone have experience with those?
Just bought a used 6-channel RGB sorter for $14k last month. Works like a charm so far, but those spare parts costs are no joke!
LOL at ‘from used pickup to small house’ – totally accurate! Our plant manager still drives that 2004 F150 while our NIR sorter costs more than his actual house 😂
The ROI examples are super helpful – might finally convince my boss to upgrade our sorting system. That 7 week payback is insane!
10-15% extra for compliance panels? Ouch. Government really knows how to squeeze every penny out of manufacturers.
I’m skeptical about those AI retrofit kits. Sounds too good to be true to boost accuracy by 7% for just $4k.
Good tip about the 3-hour FAT test! Got burned last year buying ‘refurbished’ equipment that died after 2 months.
Anyone have experience with those lease programs? Wondering if the terms are actually decent or just another way to lock you in.
The calibration disk costs add up quick. First year we ran one, burned through 4 sets before we figured out proper handling.
Prices seem a bit higher than I’ve seen locally here in Texas. Might still be cheaper even with shipping to buy direct from China.
7.5% tariffs are brutal, but I’ll still take that over unreliable service from some local suppliers. Learned that the hard way.