A separator and method is provided for separating used bedding material intowaste material and bedding material for re-use. The separator may comprise aframe,a plurality of elongate screening elements fixed to the frame and oriented in-line witha discharge end of the separator, and a rotatable actuator aligned transverseto theplurality of elongate screening elements. The rotatable actuator may have anon-circularcross-section and positioned such that when the rotatable actuator is rotatedagreater radius portion of the cross-section is located to cause the pluralityof elongatescreening elements to deflect from a static position away from a rotationalaxis of theactuator, and a lesser radius portion of the cross-section is located topermit theelongate screening elements to return to the static position.
