Recycling questions. Please help. Thanks!?

OK, I asked this question a little while ago: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?… but I think maybe I wasn't clear enough. I would love to help "save the planet" and all that hoopla - that's great too - but I'm really just broke and cheap. I was wondering, will the recycling people take ALL of my plastics, cardboard, glass, tin/metal, and (dry) paper if I separate it for them? And how do I separate it since they only provide me one container. I usually put all my newspaper/magazines/paper inside a paper bag and put that in the recycling bin and leave the big items separate. If I separate the different materials will I have a better chance of them taking it all or will I have to bring it directly to my towns recycling center? Just to be clear... I'm talking about EVERYTHING, from dry paper plates, to the packaging from foods, to those little teeny jelly jars you get in stupid gift baskets at Christmas. Will they take it all? Oh, and where would q-tips go? Also, what happens when your town decides they are going to do that type of recycling where you don't separate anything; you are just supposed to put it all in one container they provide to you and sit it out on the curb. Do they allow you to put everything in there or are there restrictions on the types of items? Thanks so much in advance!
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The answer will vary depending on which services you have in your area. In general, #1 and #2 plastics are commonly accepted, the higher the number the lower the chance of finding a center that will take it. Glass is also hit and miss. Most common papers are newspaper and cardboard with office type paper hit and miss. Most metals are easy to recycle as well. Everything else good luck. Go to www.earth911.com type in your zip code, what you want to recycle and you will get a list of recycle centers in your area. A few things that can't be recycled. Hybrids those are often snack food packaging, they combine 2 or more materials, paper, plastic and metal. Most paper and cardboard that is soiled with food, so pizza boxes are rarely accepted, but you can compost it. Most plastic sheeting, or wrap. It is impossible to tell what type of plastic it is, so there is no value. Anything with human waste won't be accepted either. Q-tips are not recyclable, they are paper and cotton or polyester and they would fall under the human waste category. If you have curbside recycling then the waste management company will give you a list of what they accept. There are a variety of ways the companies sort it, so if you put unwanted materials into the bin, they may pick them out and leave them, or dump the entire truckload into the landfill, because it is contaminated. My city sorts all waste a the transfer station and pulls recyclable materials from the waste stream. The next county over has curbside recycling and you can get a warning then a fine if they spot check your bin and you are putting unwanted materials into it. They also reward you if they spot check and you have a perfect bin.
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