DHL charges 1 eur for recycling, which it pockets since the envelope or box with thr product went to the consumer... who throws it away to the segregated garbage bin - for which every consumer also pays.
If there was any value in recycling you'd pay some fee for the packaging, and you'd get it right back when you recycle it.
Outside of aluminum cans and bottle it certainly looks like recycling ends up being 'send it to the landfill, but with some extra steps and fees.'
Idk, at least in Germany paper and (plastic) recycling is free. I only have to pay for organic trash and trash to be burned.
How is recycling free but you've got to pay for organics? Don't you just pay a tax (or pay it indirectly through income tax or VAT)? And you've got the whole returning the plastic bottles on the supermarket thing too, right?
(... and that is really why this is so staunchly defended)