hell here in Ottawa we have 3 recycling bins and 1 garbage one and Im already confused, 9 would make my head explode!

From the sounds of it the system is very poorly thought out ...

While I think that the cost of my local system is ridiculous (twice what profitable private companies were charging for the same service) the City of Calgary’s program is actually reasonable for most people. Right now people have been given a (gigantic) blue bin for recyclables and (regardless of whether it is metal, glass or paper based) all recyclables go into that bin to be sorted by the city; trash is still picked up as it was before but will (in the not too distant future) be switched over to everyone being given a gigantic black bin to put all of your garbage in; and down the road there are plans to give everyone a gigantic green bin for compost.

The city’s reasoning behind this program was that they wanted a high level of compliance from people, and having unreasonable requirements put on citizens was only going to result in people not sorting their trash.

That's pretty much what he said.

See, that's a tough one to come back on, because after the speech if you don't agree to do it, you kinda come off as the jerk... and either way he wins. 

I tell you... if we ever run out of oil... the whole car travel stuff won't even be mentioned in the future.  Future people will have wondered how we could of even thought of using oil for anything but plastic making.

much as I think this idea is barmy, im amazed any paper thinks its headline worthy.

Daily mail is the worst paper in the UK, I'm not suprised this came from there.

How about 1 and rubbish folks who actually sort it and work. You folks across the pond have to stand up to this nonsense. I wouldn't want that many bins littering my front yard.

I agree. Unfortunately, this government likes to do things against popular opinion

Distribution costs for all those bins could be offset by hiring a more comprehensive sorting center or something.

I mean, i'm located in Philadelphia (while i'm at school, at least), so I may be in a better city than this site in Britain, but i know my sorting plant will even take the non-recyclable tops off the bottles.

It just depends on costs, i suppose

Its a huge waste of resources not to, not to mention the landfill space and ground water infiltration problems.  Suck it up. 

If you cant sort the trash then I dont see how you can feed yourself anyway.