I am a recycling fanatic. I am the one in my family who has trouble tossing out the cardboard toilet paper rolls. I save shampoo bottles from the shower and diligently take them to the recycling bin. I regularly pick soda cans and bottles out of the trash. While not everyone in my family shares my 
enthusiasm, slowly they are getting better about getting the recyclables in to the right container.
The downside to all of this gathering was getting it to curbside every Friday. We got to the point where we had 4 (very) full bins--and a very long driveway. I was pleasantly surprised when a large recycle cart (looks similar to our regular trash can and includes wheels) appeared on my neighbors driveway; I immediately called and ordered one for our family. Now getting the recyclables to the curb is a fairly easy task.
But what happens when they dump everything from one bin? According to my trash company, American Disposal Services, they are using a method called Single Stream Recycling.
According to the mailing we received from them (which included an explanation of how this works and a handy magnet to show what is eligible for recycling): 'Single Stream Recycling is an innovative process that allows the consumer the freedom of putting all of their recyclables into the same container, a process called co-mingling, without the bothersome tasks of bundling and sorting.' Once
the materials reach the facility, they are put on to a conveyor belt and sorted by vaiours 'electro-mechanical means.' Some of the methods mentioned: magnets, eddy currents, air jets, and heavy duty rotating screens.
On the website, www.ecocycle.org I found the following article about Single Source Recycling: Single Source Recycling Comes to Boulder County. While not about my community, the information was helpful. In the article, they say. 'It’s the future for responsible resource conservation and an important step toward meeting our goal of building a Zero Waste community by 2020. Single-stream recycling makes it almost as easy to use the recycling bin as it is to use the trash can, so for the previously unconverted, there’s no excuse for not recycling.'
Not everyone is willing to take the time to sort their trash. Single Source Recycling makes it easier; instead of sorting in to paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard and more, you can choose between recyclable and non-recyclable. I find that it is easier to get people to participate if the process is simplified. Hopefully, this new effort will be a win-win for all of us--and for our environment!
If you are an American Disposal Customer, you can find out more about their program at www.americandisposal.com or by calling 703-368-0500.
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Holly I do the same thing. In the kitchen the kids recycle, but for some reason they are too lazy to take a plastic bottle from the bathroom upstairs or from the basement and put it in the proper bin.
Single stream is easy, in my area all paper "stuff" goes in one bin (except pizza boxes, they wont recycle them!) and all bottles/cans etc go in a different one. Better than sorting everyting Thats for sure, so no more bundling cardboard magazines and newspapers separately... all in one bin.
Single Stream Recycling sems to make it very easy for folks to recycle.
Like you, I'm a recycle nut!
If we all just make a little extra effort to reduce/ reuse/ recycle, we'll leave the Earth a better place for generations to come.
Holly - It sounds like we share the same fanaticism about recycling. It took me 5 years to bring my wife around, but now even the toilet paper rolls make it into the recycling bins. I am hopeful that single stream will come to our development soon to help with the not-so-compliant neighbors, but give me time and I convert them too!
We have a great recycling program in Raleigh NC and I am amazed at everything that they will accept. We use a single stream system as well and I have alsays wondered how it works.