A friend in the recycling biz told me many years ago that co-mingling makes the waste stream much more difficult to re-use.  It's done because many people won't bother to separate different stuff.  I'm not surprised China is tired of being dumped on.  I doubt it's fun to sort through Americans' garbage all day long.  I take my household stuff to Glenwood, properly separated, and marvel at the contents of the "pit."  Everyone should see and smell that, especially on a hot day.

I like what they do in Germany - fewer types of plastic, large items have to be accepted by the manufacturers when they're worn out, and a culture that is a little less wasteful.  It still astonishes me that many here are amazed to see someone carrying their own spoon to events, and that most coffee shops still serve drinks in non-reusable cups (esp. the plastic lids).  If we can't move beyond that, how will we cope with climate change's impacts to agriculture and depletion of the oil that powers our society?