An apparatus for treating spent cartridges and/or capsules, for example of coffee or some other infusion, in order to separate the organic material from the rest of the pack, characterized in that it comprises, in combination: - mechanical means, which are contained in a purposely provided compartment for treating the capsules and are designed to break or tear the packs thereof and consequently separate the organic contents from the various materials that constitute the packs, gathering the organic contents and the packs, respectively, in a first collection container and in a second collection container, distinct from one another, which can be emptied into the normal containers provided for differentiated refuse collection; - a bag for collecting organic waste; - a second bag for collecting the emptied packs that have been separated from the organic materials and that constitute recyclable waste comprising paper, aluminium, plastic, etc.; - a container, which constitutes the compartment for treatment of the capsules, is located inside the bag, and is provided with perforated walls, and housed in which are said mechanical means, basically constituted by a bladed impeller set in rotation by means of a shaft; - a system for conveying the empty packs of the treated capsules, which is basically made up of a fixed helix set peripherally inside a cylinder or cone tapered upwards and an impeller with one or more substantially vertical blades, said impeller turning within the fixed helix for sending upwards the empty packs of the capsules so that they reach said second bag set preferably to one side; - an electric motor, which, via the shaft, drives the impeller with blades and the bottom bladed impeller; and - a chute for getting the capsules to enter the treatment compartment in the bottom container. - mechanical means, which are contained in a purposely provided compartment for treating the capsules and are designed to break or tear the packs thereof and consequently separate the organic contents from the various materials that constitute the packs, gathering the organic contents and the packs, respectively, in a first collection container and in a second collection container, distinct from one another, which can be emptied into the normal containers provided for differentiated refuse collection; - a bag for collecting organic waste; - a second bag for collecting the emptied packs that have been separated from the organic materials and that constitute recyclable waste comprising paper, aluminium, plastic, etc.; - a container, which constitutes the compartment for treatment of the capsules, is located inside the bag, and is provided with perforated walls, and housed in which are said mechanical means, basically constituted by a bladed impeller set in rotation by means of a shaft; - a system for conveying the empty packs of the treated capsules, which is basically made up of a fixed helix set peripherally inside a cylinder or cone tapered upwards and an impeller with one or more substantially vertical blades, said impeller turning within the fixed helix for sending upwards the empty packs of the capsules so that they reach said second bag set preferably to one side; - an electric motor, which, via the shaft, drives the impeller with blades and the bottom bladed impeller; and - a chute for getting the capsules to enter the treatment compartment in the bottom container.