[Nullinker]

My city removed all plastic recycling bins several years ago in favor of using trash sorting robots after collecting mixed waste.

The robots could pick sort 70% effectively while the population of humans after years of training was stuck at 50%. I imagine the efficiency of the robots may even have increased a bit since then.

[ClumsyPilot]

You missed crucisl detail- humans were sorting for free, owner of robots is paid.

Another crucial detail: producers of platic packaging engage is deliberate fraud to conflate recycleable and non recycleable plastic. Plastics that say 'commonly recycled' may be unrecycleable anywhere except a leading technology lab.

Another detail: massive fraud in recycling industry:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/18/uk-recyc...

Most european countries stil do separate recycling, and have much higher recycling rates than UK or US, which have mixed recycling.

[gojomo]

Interesting! Which city, and is there a writeup with more details?