In Japan, I think there were like ten bins, with clear instructions on how each should be used (eg take the label off the plastic bottle before binning it). It was a bit stressful before I got used to it.

Here in Seattle, at least, recycling has transitioned to blue and green is now used for municipal compost bins. I think SF is the same.

We (Seattle) used to have separate bins in the late 90's or early 00's. A lot smaller total volume than the 96 gal toters, though.

I remember that as a kid in general King county (many of the suburbs of Seattle).

However it's still not enough.

    * More bins for more specific TYPES of plastic
    * Better, machine readable, (BIG) labels
    * Financial incentives (carrot and stick)

I'll elaborate more on that last point. Restaurants should be encouraged to create takeout packaging that is more easily recycled and/or composted. Similarly wrappers, boxes, cups and packets should have a per unit tax for non-environmentally friendly units.

There should also be a push towards the use of glass and metal and paper over plastics. Sturdy glass bottles can be cleaned, thermal blast smoothed and re-used or broken down and recycled completely. Similarly metal lids and cans can also attain a new life with ease.

There's always tradeoffs. If you require people sort at home, more recyclables end up in the trash and/or people missort anyway.

I agree we should incentivize use of more recyclable materials (in place of non-recyclable or more expensive to recycle materials) in general.

Blue in LA as well.

Where "everything" may be limited. For example, I just went and looked: I can recycle "recyclable glass, aluminum, cans, plastics and paper".