I know of a couple of towns in my state that have organized, direct recycling programs -- meaning a building at the town's transfer station where people can put old stuff that still works, and other people can go "shopping" there. IMHO that's the absolute best kind of recycling there is. Nothing has to be shredded or melted down and then reconstituted for use in another product, the thing just gets adopted by a new owner and keeps on truckin'.
Numerous people have suggested to my town's government that we should do the same thing. Oh, no! Instead, they keep tightening up the rules. Once something hits a dumpster, it's strictly off limits. They've actually had people arrested for dumpster diving.
Arrogant [bleep]s.