The South Tahoe method looks like a nice compromise between doing everything at the depot, on the one hand, and asking individuals to do everything, on the othe

The South Tahoe method looks like a nice compromise between doing everything at the depot, on the one hand, and asking individuals to do everything, on the other. End users shouldn't be burdened with the (increasingly impossible) task of deciding whether a container is made of PS, LDPE, or whatever. All they need to know is that if something is "plasticky", it goes in the blue bag. Money can also act as a nice incentive for people to pay attention. Here in Korea, regular garbage needs to be put in special bags that cost a fixed amount per volume. (Garbage collection services are subsidized with revenue from these bags.) So you can save a decent amount of money by putting bulky plastic bottles and empty cans in the recycle bin instead. This system also encourages people to compost as much as they can.