We should be figuring out how stop delegating to end users Here's a fair proposal to do the opposite: At collection points throughout a city's inner suburbs ha

We should be figuring out how stop delegating to end users Here's a fair proposal to do the opposite: At collection points throughout a city's inner suburbs have bins equipped with cheap image sensors scan a QR code on the packaging - each code containing information to identify the type of packaging as well as provide a unique code for each item so it can't be scanned multiple times. Depending on the type of packaging, a certain lid on the bin (among several) will open so that sorting is automatic, and a refund for the packaging can be either donated to a chosen charity or aggregated until a certain dollar value is accrued from future recycling deposits and paid in bulk on the spot. Biggest limitations: getting a country to alter its packaging requirements to include an advanced bar-code system and a schema that is internationally recognized (ISO certified). The hardware side of things would be trivial, and when concentrated in the inner city you have fewer bins capturing a greater number of people's waste. Maybe I'm overthinking it - with machine learning the bin could determine the type of bottle/can/container, open the appropriate lid, and watch as the item is surely and safely deposited. A mid-tier smart phone could do this - use similar parts including modem to connect to a server to log a credit for the user/donate to charity. Perhaps an international packaging code schema isn't required.