FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A longtime Fresno business is bringing artificial intelligence to the fight for a cleaner Central California.
“These communities depend on us not only to collect their waste from the roadside and at their businesses, but also to process it and to be stewards of the sustainability market here,” said CEO Joseph Kalpakov.
On Thursday, waste management company Mid-Valley Disposal unveiled a new state-of-the-art processing line.
The 30-year-old company currently operates the largest and most advanced line of its kind between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
It is equipped with three AI-powered robots to separate valuable recyclables such as cardboard, aluminum cans, glass, and plastic bottles.
“By using AI technology and optical sorters, we can process faster, have a cleaner stream, and reduce residue going back to landfills,” Kalpakov said.
This improvement increases production while reducing operating hours from 12 hours a day, 6 days a week to 7 hours a day, 5 days a week.
The robots will also add 20 jobs and require employees to perform maintenance on the new line.
Mid-Valley partnered with Glacier, a California-based AI company, to help develop a robot that uses optical sorters to speed up processing and reduce residual waste sent to landfills.
“Our robot actually uses an AI-powered camera that can detect all the materials coming down the line in real time, and the robot can physically sort those materials,” says Rebecca Hugh Slams.
Mid-Valley began the design process for the expansion in 2024 and received a $4.5 million grant from Cal Recycle in 2025 for a total investment of $12 million.
The company serves several counties in Central California and processed 125,000 tons of recyclables last year.
“They’re investing not just in infrastructure, but in relationships, local jobs, and really the long-term success of this entire region,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.
Mid-Valley Disposal expects the new processing line to increase throughput of recyclable materials from 35 to 60 tons per hour.
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