Oltre ai rifiuti verdi, separiamo l'organico.

Because a combines with the definite article i.

• a + i = ai
• rifiuti is masculine plural
• the masculine plural definite article for many nouns is i

So:

• oltre a = besides / in addition to
• i rifiuti verdi = the green waste
• oltre ai rifiuti verdi = besides the green waste

This contraction is very common in Italian:

• a + il = al
• a + lo = allo
• a + l' = all'
• a + la = alla
• a + i = ai
• a + gli = agli
• a + le = alle

It means besides the green waste or in addition to the green waste.

Here oltre a introduces something extra, not something contrasted.

So the sentence is saying that, in addition to sorting green waste, we also separate organic waste.

A useful distinction:

• oltre a = besides / in addition to
• tranne = except for
• invece di = instead of

So oltre ai rifiuti verdi does not mean instead of green waste. It means as well as green waste.

In this context, rifiuti verdi means green waste: things like grass clippings, leaves, branches, hedge trimmings, and garden waste.

Word by word:

• rifiuti = waste / refuse
• verdi = green

Even though verdi literally means green, here it refers to the category of waste, not just the color.

Because rifiuti is plural, so the adjective must also be plural.

• singular: rifiuto verde
• plural: rifiuti verdi

Agreement is very important in Italian. Adjectives usually match the noun in gender and number.

Here:

• rifiuti = masculine plural
• verdi = plural form of verde

Note that verde has the same form in masculine and feminine singular, but in the plural it becomes verdi.

Examples:

• il rifiuto verde
• i rifiuti verdi
• la zona verde
• le zone verdi

Here l'organico means organic waste or food waste / compostable waste, depending on the local recycling system.

In recycling language, Italian often uses l'organico as a noun, even though it comes from the adjective organico.

So:

• organico as an adjective can mean organic
• l'organico as a noun often means the organic-waste category

This is very common in everyday Italian, especially in discussions about recycling and trash separation.

Because l' is the shortened form of the definite article used before a vowel.

The full masculine singular article would be lo, but before a vowel it becomes l':

• lo organico → not used
• l'organico → correct

This happens with many nouns beginning with a vowel:

• l'acqua
• l'amico
• l'olio
• l'organico

Here organico is masculine singular, so the article becomes l' before the initial o.

Because l'organico is being used as the name of a category or type of waste, not as a countable plural noun.

Italian often uses singular nouns for categories:

• la plastica = plastic
• la carta = paper
• il vetro = glass
• l'organico = organic waste

So even though in English we might think of wastes or organic scraps, Italian often treats these as category names in the singular.

That is why the sentence has:

• i rifiuti verdi = the green-waste items / green waste
• l'organico = the organic-waste category

Separiamo means we separate / we sort.

In everyday Italian about recycling, it is very natural to say simply:

• separare l'organico
• separare la plastica
• separare il vetro

So the sentence is not incomplete. L'organico already works as the object of the verb.

Also, separare in this context often means to sort out / separate for recycling, not just physically divide in a general sense.

You could also hear related expressions like:

• fare la raccolta differenziata = to sort recycling / do separate waste collection
• dividere i rifiuti = divide the waste
• separare l'organico dalla plastica = separate organic waste from plastic

Because Italian usually omits subject pronouns when they are not needed.

The ending -iamo already tells you the subject is we:

• separo = I separate
• separi = you separate
• separa = he/she separates
• separiamo = we separate

So noi is optional.

• Separiamo l'organico. = We separate the organic waste.
• Noi separiamo l'organico. = also correct, but more emphatic

Italian only adds noi when it wants emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

The original word order is more natural:

• Oltre ai rifiuti verdi, separiamo l'organico.

Starting with oltre ai rifiuti verdi highlights the idea of in addition to that.

Your version, Separiamo l'organico oltre ai rifiuti verdi, is understandable, but it sounds less smooth and may be less clearly structured.

Italian often places introductory phrases like this at the beginning, especially when they set the context for the rest of the sentence.

So the original sentence is preferred.

Grammatically, it is the present indicative, so the basic meaning is we separate.

But like the English present simple, it can describe:

• a general habit
• a routine
• a standard practice
• something currently done

So in context, it may mean:

• we separate organic waste
• we sort organic waste
• we do separate the organic waste

It does not necessarily mean only right now at this moment.

Yes, often.

In many areas, especially in everyday speech about recycling, l'umido is very common and can refer to the same waste category as l'organico, or nearly the same thing depending on local usage.

So you may hear:

• separiamo l'organico
• separiamo l'umido

Both can refer to the compostable / food-waste bin.

The exact category can vary slightly by municipality, but for a learner it is useful to know that both terms are common in recycling contexts.

It is normal, natural Italian, especially in contexts like:

• recycling instructions
• school materials
• public-information notices
• everyday discussion of sorting waste

The vocabulary is practical and standard. The only thing that may feel slightly technical to learners is l'organico, because it is a category label, but for native speakers it is very common.