The above analysis only considers collection costs, and ignores the costs and benefits of the alternative program options. These costs differ greatly between communities, depending on the local geography, geology, economy, demographics, institutional arrangements and other factors. There are many examples of municipalities that have achieved a lower cost for recycling than for refuse disposal. Yet, curbside recycling costs do remain higher than refuse service costs in the majority of communities throughout the country. A number of factors conspire to make recyclable collection, as generally practiced, less efficient than refuse collection.
Fewer residents participate in curbside recycling.
Those participating set out bins less frequently, and recycling bins generally hold much less than a trash bins. By contrast, all households typically have refuse service and very few households miss a collection day. Thus, a recycling vehicle must travel further, make more stops, and spend more time at each stop than a refuse truck to collect each ton of material. The costs of collection make up the largest component of the recycling process. As more households participate, the travel time between each collection stop is minimized.