[patrickxb]

I think there are a lot more parts of "recycling" that are working besides putting recycling products in a separate trash can.

In Chicago now, you have to pay for bags (plastic or paper) at any major store. It's 7 cents per bag. I have no numbers on how effective it has been, but everywhere I go, I rarely see anyone getting the bags from the stores.

Programs like this and NYC's styrofoam ban seem to be very effective in the "reduce/reuse" portions of reduce, reuse, recycle. Can/bottle deposits are effective too. I doubt very many cans in NYC aren't recycled.