Recycling is one of those things which, for want of a better phrase, is for the "greater good".
Let's be honest though, for many of us recycling is a pain in the arse .... not least because the facilities available (or not) don't always make it very easy, and of course, the larger your family, the more waste you need to sort out and the more of a pain it becomes. Our council does all waste every other week, and kerbside "recycling" stuff in the weeks in between. However, it doesn't collect ALL recycled stuff. It professed - somehow - can't remember its exact words, that it would be more "cost effective" and more "convenient" for residents to dispose of plastics (bottles, yoghurt pots etc) at a number of "dedicated" points placed "conveniently" around the town. Except that depending where you live, these places aren't convenient, are usually stuffed to the gills and often necessitate a car journey (very environmentally friendly - not - but, so far as the council are concerned, I do wonder how much all this is about being environmentally aware, and how much it's about saving money. Hmmmmmm).
(They generously suggest you can put plastic in the bin, but of course it's incredibly space-consuming when it gets collected fortnightly and would take up all the bin).
Anyway ....... these arrangements mean that many households now have all sorts of recycling receptacles hanging about. A large black bin bag now lives in the corner of my kitchen (and looks bloody horrible, and I'm always falling over it, and it blocks access to my pan cupboard) precisely for plastic stuff - this is filled in a week with milk bottles, fizz bottles, bleach bottles, yoghurt pots, shower gel etc etc). I don't have a garage, and only have a tiny shed which is already chocka so can't put it there. The recycling boxes for paper & glass live outside the front door, again, looking bloody horrid, 'cos we have nowhere else to put them. I know I'm not the only person to find that finding space to do recycling is damn near impossible. I feel sorry for anyone living in a terrace or flat who have to lug all sorts of rubbish in and out of their house because of the requirement to sort it out into different boxes and so on.
BUT I still do it, as I mentioned before, for the "greater good" and all that. I don't expect any thanks or praise for anyone but it's a good job we don't all take the attitude that we "can't be bothered" (not only about this issue, but regarding all sorts of other community issues) or else where would we then be ?
In view of everything I've just said, I don't personally think Ska is being unreasonable to criticise her inlaws for being so blinking lazy and uncaring (yes, uncaring). And her mentioning 13 bedrooms and outhouses is therefore relevant because they can hardly claim they don't have the space to organise themselves (unlike most households for whom space is at a premium), and indeed having "staff" to organise this on their behalf also negates the "haven't got the time" argument as well.
With their eye on the opportunity to raise extra revenue raise awareness of recycling issues, I believe councils are going to get stricter about how we dispose of our household waste, and there'll be more fines for failing to separate it as dictated. Suppose though, that like so much else, there will be some (rich) folk who'll take the "hit" of a small fine if it means they don't have to put themselves out slightly like the rest of us plebs.
Rant over. YANBU, but quite how you can persuade them to stop being irresponsible I don't know.