Planet Money did an episode on the recycling issue last year. Excellent reporting, and they do come up with memos: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/912150085/was

Planet Money did an episode on the recycling issue last year. Excellent reporting, and they do come up with memos: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/912150085/waste-land https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/912150085/waste-land One key point made is that the marketing approach was preferred because the costs were so low compared to solving the real problems. While I think redirecting those amounts to push people in a different direction would be great, it still seems minor compared to the challenges of plastic waste and broader environmental concerns.