That's too much work for me. I just put all glass, metal, and plastic in one bag and paper in another. Nobody's gone through the bags that I know of, except for bottle/can collectors scrounging for nickels.
I'd simply be happier with myself if I cleaned up my house.
But what am I doing now? I'm going to go clean out my junk drawer which includes all need info I need to keep, like repair bills, health-stuff papers a bit/ etc. Big woop because the house will look no cleaner when I'm done.
Yep - and it's not due to my eyesight. Even using a powerful magnifying glass many are illegible. Since they're now super picky here about what they will and won't accept, I just toss most plastics into the trash (lest the recycling gods smite me with a fine).
If it has a recycling ('orrible word') symbol and number I recycle it - but I don't look at the number.
Our household waste-collection system is divided into three categories and bins: 1). Food Waste, 2) General, inorganic, landfill refuse not salvageable), 3) Recyclable glass, metals and paper / cardboard. I think the "metals" cover just steel and aluminium, i.e., food "tins"; but these are really only what most households produce in any significant quantity.
We don't seem to need know the type of material as long as it has that triangle, though this can lead to problems at the refiners' end of things. Generally now though, the container label carries advice on what is or is not, salvageable about it. Or you can ask the relevant Council department's advice.
Anything else, including waste timber, bulkier metal items and garden refuse, you either take to the Council waste-collection yard and place it in the appropriate skip, or if non-ferrous metal and you have enough to make the exercise worthwhile, a scrap-yard. (Ferrous metals are usually so low in value you are lucky to be paid anything for them.)
Or for bulky items / volumes you can't move yourself, a properly, legally established and registered, waste-collection firm.
Stu Spelling Bee 