Device for shredding material, in particular medical waste material, having a) a shredding rotor which revolves about an axis of rotation and supports at least one blade, and having b) a first counter-blade, which cooperates with the blade of the shredding rotor, wherein c) a feed plate is provided, which is mounted such that it is rotatable about a pivot axis and which is connected to an actuator, in particular to an electric motor, such that the position of the feed plate about the pivot axis can be varied with the aid of the actuator, d) the pivot axis of the feed plate is arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of the shredding rotor such that - the feed plate, with the aid of the actuator, can be brought into a feed position in which the material to be shredded can lie on a first main surface of the feed plate and can slide along it in the direction to the shredding rotor, and in that - the feed plate, with the aid of the actuator, can be brought into a first pressing position, in which the material to be shredded is also pressed with the first main surface of the feed plate against the shredding rotor and is shredded between the blade and the first counter blade, and wherein e) the feed plate is mounted at one end such that it is rotatable about the pivot axis, characterised in that f) upon a change in the direction of rotation of the shredding rotor, the feed plate can be brought into a second pressing position, in which the material to be shredded is pressed with a second main surface of the feed plate against the shredding rotor and is shredded between the blade and the second counter-blade, and g) a control device is provided which controls the actuator of the feed plate and the shredding rotor such that the power consumption of the shredding rotor does not exceed 3.5 kW. a) a shredding rotor which revolves about an axis of rotation and supports at least one blade, and having b) a first counter-blade, which cooperates with the blade of the shredding rotor, wherein c) a feed plate is provided, which is mounted such that it is rotatable about a pivot axis and which is connected to an actuator, in particular to an electric motor, such that the position of the feed plate about the pivot axis can be varied with the aid of the actuator, d) the pivot axis of the feed plate is arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of the shredding rotor such that - the feed plate, with the aid of the actuator, can be brought into a feed position in which the material to be shredded can lie on a first main surface of the feed plate and can slide along it in the direction to the shredding rotor, and in that - the feed plate, with the aid of the actuator, can be brought into a first pressing position, in which the material to be shredded is also pressed with the first main surface of the feed plate against the shredding rotor and is shredded between the blade and the first counter blade, and wherein - the feed plate, with the aid of the actuator, can be brought into a feed position in which the material to be shredded can lie on a first main surface of the feed plate and can slide along it in the direction to the shredding rotor, and in that - the feed plate, with the aid of the actuator, can be brought into a first pressing position, in which the material to be shredded is also pressed with the first main surface of the feed plate against the shredding rotor and is shredded between the blade and the first counter blade, and wherein e) the feed plate is mounted at one end such that it is rotatable about the pivot axis, characterised in that f) upon a change in the direction of rotation of the shredding rotor, the feed plate can be brought into a second pressing position, in which the material to be shredded is pressed with a second main surface of the feed plate against the shredding rotor and is shredded between the blade and the second counter-blade, and g) a control device is provided which controls the actuator of the feed plate and the shredding rotor such that the power consumption of the shredding rotor does not exceed 3.5 kW.