[John H K]

Aluminum cans are the ONLY thing that is economically viable for recycling; as you note, refining bauxite ore requires ridiculous amounts of electricity, so that the total cost of collecting used cans, melting them down, and making new cans is less than the cost of making new cans from bauxite ore.

That's it. And since it makes money in a free market, people would do it on their own without local ordinances requiring it.

ALL other recycling is a waste of money and doesn't do anything to help the environment.

[fogarty]

Incorrect. Paper is a material which can be profitably recycled. See my post above.