Method for operating a waste sorting plant (1, 101) comprising: - a sorting device (11, 111) comprising at least one automatic sorting module (12a; 112a-112c) comprising a conveying device (13a; 113a-113c) and at least one sensor (14a; 114a-114c) which is used to capture at least one property of individual waste components of a waste stream (9; 109) transported by the conveying device (13a; 113a-113c), - wherein, in order to apply a first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117), the at least one sorting module (12a; 112a) of the sorting device (11; 111) is operated in an enrichment mode in such a way that recyclable materials such as in particular PET and/or HDPE and/or PP and/or PS and/or paper and/or FKN and/or films are separated from a remaining waste stream (18; 118) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114a), - wherein, in order to treat the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117) further, the at least one sorting module (12a; 112b) of the sorting device (11; 111) is operated in a sorting mode in such a way ∘ that, in a first sorting step, the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 131) is fed to the automatic sorting module or to another automatic sorting module and the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117) is separated into a first pure recyclable material fraction (22; 122) and into a further mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114b), ∘ that, in at least one further sorting step, the further mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) produced in the previous sorting step is fed to the same automatic sorting module or another automatic sorting module and the further, second mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) is separated into a further pure recyclable material fraction (28; 128) different from the first pure recyclable material fraction (22; 122) and into another remaining mixed recyclable material fraction (29; 129) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114c). - a sorting device (11, 111) comprising at least one automatic sorting module (12a; 112a-112c) comprising a conveying device (13a; 113a-113c) and at least one sensor (14a; 114a-114c) which is used to capture at least one property of individual waste components of a waste stream (9; 109) transported by the conveying device (13a; 113a-113c), - wherein, in order to apply a first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117), the at least one sorting module (12a; 112a) of the sorting device (11; 111) is operated in an enrichment mode in such a way that recyclable materials such as in particular PET and/or HDPE and/or PP and/or PS and/or paper and/or FKN and/or films are separated from a remaining waste stream (18; 118) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114a), - wherein, in order to treat the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117) further, the at least one sorting module (12a; 112b) of the sorting device (11; 111) is operated in a sorting mode in such a way ∘ that, in a first sorting step, the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 131) is fed to the automatic sorting module or to another automatic sorting module and the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117) is separated into a first pure recyclable material fraction (22; 122) and into a further mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114b), ∘ that, in at least one further sorting step, the further mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) produced in the previous sorting step is fed to the same automatic sorting module or another automatic sorting module and the further, second mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) is separated into a further pure recyclable material fraction (28; 128) different from the first pure recyclable material fraction (22; 122) and into another remaining mixed recyclable material fraction (29; 129) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114c). ∘ that, in a first sorting step, the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 131) is fed to the automatic sorting module or to another automatic sorting module and the first mixed recyclable material fraction (17; 117) is separated into a first pure recyclable material fraction (22; 122) and into a further mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114b), ∘ that, in at least one further sorting step, the further mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) produced in the previous sorting step is fed to the same automatic sorting module or another automatic sorting module and the further, second mixed recyclable material fraction (23; 123) is separated into a further pure recyclable material fraction (28; 128) different from the first pure recyclable material fraction (22; 122) and into another remaining mixed recyclable material fraction (29; 129) in a manner controlled by the at least one sensor (14a; 114c).