Systems and methods for processing materials for a recycling workstream are disclosed. The system may include one or more sorting surfaces on which sortable items may be placed. Illumination sources may be provided to illuminate both the items and the sorting surface(s). A variety of sensor systems may also be provided. The outputs of the sensor systems may be supplied to a computing system for determining the composition of the items and their location on the sorting surface(s). The computing system may also control the surface(s), illumination sources, and sensor systems. Additionally, the system may include one or more augmented reality interface devices used by sorters at the sorting facility. The computing system may communicate data streams to the augmented reality interfaces to provide the users augmented reality sensations. The sensations may give the users information and instructions regarding how to sort the items into one or more sorting bins.