When Americans talk about sorting they tend to mean sorting different kinds of plastics and such, not the top level "basic" categories such as paper, glass, met

When Americans talk about sorting they tend to mean sorting different kinds of plastics and such, not the top level "basic" categories such as paper, glass, metal, and plastic. Or at least that's what it meant in a couple places I lived (most places I've lived recycle different plastics, for example).