Trash, including that which can be recycled, presents a social phenomena. First, the generation of waste materials comes at the time of purchase. But we have few fees (like on tires) included in the initial cost directed to recovery. So the incentive is for producers to make products out of the least costly, most effective materials, including packaging, which is also often the hardest to recover. Consumers will pay very little more for a "green" product or package.
Later, the product and package is "thrown away" but it never goes really "away". Low income residents, who probably purchase less "stuff" pay the same rate per pound for disposal as the more well-off (who generate more stuff), so the per-pound cost is regressive. 
Recycling is not "free", it is a cost to the County minus the recovery value, which fluctuates. 
None of these costs are in the initial purchase price. We pay them later and disconnected from the initial cost. This is an inefficient supply and demand system