Solid waste is sorted by passing it through a rotating hollow drum which has sets of extensions, called flights, from the interior wall of the drum, some sets of flights being separated from each other and from the entrance to the drum by blank sections along the drum wall. The first set of flights are rotatable knives, positioned in a reverse spiral, so that larger items, usually filled plastic waste bags, are inhibited from advancing until opened and emptied. The second set of flights are adjustable magnet strips, lifting and depositing metal material onto a conveyor belt. The third set of flights are flexible lifters for lifting and depositing glass, grit and dirt onto the takeout belt, which rub against the conveyor, thus cleaning both the lifters and the conveyor. A bar screen is positioned over the conveyor to screen out larger materials, clean the lifters, and to be cleaned by the lifters. There is also a movable conveyor belt which relieves jamming by moving away from the drum wall. The invention further is defined by a method of sorting solid waste by providing a rotary materials separator according to the invention, placing a stream of materials into the drum, and passing the stream through the drum.