Experience in Alameda County and elsewhere strongly suggests that to minimize costs and problems, designers should make recycling, organics and refuse services all equally easy to use.
If refuse services are easier, some occupants will toss their recyclables into the refuse container. If recycling is much easier, some occupants will contaminate the recyclables with refuse.
It follows that collection containers (bins and carts) should be situated in groups that include one or more containers for each stream:
- Refuse
- Organics
- Recycling.