Because rules are rules are rules

It didn't take long after receiving the new manditory recycling bins to figure out that, even though it came with direct orders not to sort the contents, tossing paper haphazardly into the bin throughout the week creates several "floors" between the trash preventing a natural sifting and settling of objects closer to the bottom of the bin.
So, the husband put a cardboard box next to the bin for papers. Nice flat collected papers out of the way of shifting cans and bottles. Then, on pick-up day, we dump the papers on top and drag the thing out to the curb. Plenty of room.

After weeks of making this system work with little effort, I had a conversation with a woman who lamented how she'd have to either get a bigger recycling bin or an additional one.
"You know," she told me, "our bin really fills up fast once we get a couple newspapers in between all the stuff."
I was excited to tell her how we put a box next to the bin for newspapers...
"Oh, but you're not supposed to sort it," she interrupted.
I told her I knew that, but if you set the papers aside for the week...
"But, you're not supposed to."
... and on collection day...
"They'll put a flag on it and not pick it up at all, and then I'll have just SO much more the next week."
... just dump the papers on the top.
"You're not supposed to put stuff on the top of the bin, either. It's all got to fit inside it."

*sigh*
So, I told her she'd probably like having a bigger one rather than having two to roll out to the curb.
And I think of her every recycling collection day.