Householders separate metal cans, plastic bottles, containers and similar items from other garbage. The crushing apparatus is carried on the recycling truck, and the driver tosses these items into the apparatus for crushing. The apparatus has a rotating crusher rotor (12) which forms a pinch-throat against a concavely-curved crusher plate (27). A crammer (40) is driven into reciprocation to cram the larger items into the mouth of the pinch-throat. A rubber pad (49) on the crush plate creates friction to assist in the grabbing the item into the mouth.