We had something similar to this happen in NH recently in one of the bigger cities where it was a big debate between a contracting company and people going around taking cans from garbage out on the curb; in this case recyclables are separated.



In our own small town here, however, recycling is optional, so many of the waste contractors don't separate out the recyclables and it all goes into the MSW - meaning the town pays more money. So, it would actually be more profitable - to our town and other towns that don't separate recyclables - if people garbage picked.