Series: EU vs US: The recycling edition

Here it seems almost unfair to do a comparison, especially in light of the fact that regional differences are very stark.

But here is my attempt...

In the US (in the part where I lived) I would have to put the recycling (with carefully separated (1) paper in a paper bag) into my own personal bin and once a week I would put it out. The trash went out also in a trash can. Our trash can (a standard size) was much bigger (and for us, often empty) The recycling truck would pick it up (strangely dump everything that had been separated into one big thing (0)) and drive off leaving us with an empty bin. (1) we had little trash but a lot of recycling but if it didn't fit in the bin they wouldn't take it. (0) Lots of packaging though is NOT recyclable. Tetrapacks, for example, although marked with the symbol are only recycled in some places, and it's your job to know where. (0)

can be full of completely random as long as it has that symbol
(and your district collects it)

 US 2/5 (40%)

In the EU (where I live) there are huge bins on the street which means anyone can throw their recycling anytime, and into the properly marked container. That means you never have to have recycling lying around your house (1) and trash gets taken once a month, twice a month or once a week, depending on how much you pay and how much trash you have. if you want to have trash collection less often (to save money), they check on your bin for a few weeks before "letting" you have collection less often. (1) The plastic packaging bin takes every kind of plastic packaging. from shrink wrap to styrofoam. (1) I don't know what they do with it though, maybe burn it. (0) Two containers for glass - one white and one colored each recycled very efficiently. (2) large containers for paper (1) and large containers for metal (1) the smallest container is for trash (1) That doesn't stop people from dumping the wrong things in the wrong bin (0) recycling glass in the middle of the night which is very loud (0) or just dumping trash in a heap on the street (0)

typical scene

EU: 8/11 (72%)

EU wins hands down... in this case. there are parts of the us with no/worse recyclingsystems though, and parts of the EU with better techniques too.....

And of course if the people don't participate then it all doesn't matter.