PURPOSE: To classify a random shaped material and/or a planar material.

CONSTITUTION: Electromagnetic waves of ultraviolet, visual and infrared areas and/or sound wave are irradiated to a waste including random-shaped material and/or planar material, and the electromagnetic waves and/or sound wave reaching from the irradiated material are identified by a receiving sensor having a reference data logger. The received data is compared with the data of the data logger, whereby the structure of material, particularly, the surface structure of material is identified. A classifying device for classifying the identified materials thereby is controlled by a signal received from the receiving sensor device.