Why do we need separate collection of waste?
On Wikipedia we can read that waste sorting is the process by which waste is separated into different elements. Waste sorting can occur manually at the household and collected through curbside collection schemes, or automatically separated in materials recovery facilities or mechanical biological treatment systems. Hand sorting was the first method used in the history of waste sorting.
Since many of the waste consist of man-made materials, they decompose in landfills for hundreds of years, poisoning everything around. For now we have three ways to deal with waste: land filling, incineration and recycling. All methods other than recycling are destroying nature and dangerous to human health.
For example in Russia more than 70% of the waste that is now ending its life in landfills can be recycled. And this percentage is growing every year. Only 3-5% of solid municipal waste are recyclable, and in the same time facilities already exists, and many of them even are not loaded at full capacity or are forced to buy waste abroad.
But in my opinion everyone can do small simple steps in order to solve this problem. Firstly, you should try not only to collect waste separately, but just to make it smaller. Do not take disposable bags at checkout; buy vegetables, fruit and cereals in reusable bags. Also, it is better not to buy goods in excess packaging. It happens that one small product is packaged in a lot of paper, plastic and foil, and is simply not necessary trash, for which we, by the way, pay more.
Secondly, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of recyclables: flatten plastic bottles, fold it back "ears" in Tetrapak, associate waste paper in bales. In this case recyclables will take up much less space.
Thirdly, you can use the convenient containers for recyclable materials that are put on each other. They will take a little space, but in the same time can contain quite a lot of waste. Or you can onnly use two containers: for recyclables and household waste. Glass can be separated from the metal and paper just before you take it from home.
I believe that everyone is capable of taking these simple steps to protect our planet.
