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(1)
Wow, the price range is way broader than I expected! That AI Combo machine sounds like a beast though. 💪