This problem is solved with off site recycling. People get it wrong either through ignorance or laziness. Just dump it all in one bin and sort it at the facility. It's cheaper and more accurate. Add an arm to pick things off a conveyor belt, then you'd have something.
If your skills are limited binocular vision, object recognition, and an opposable thumb and n 2017, you're screwed. Hell, you've been screwed for 30 years. Everyone knows this.
Government make-work programs, but they're pretty much boondoggles by design, because you're intentionally not optimizing for cost-benefit? But rather maximizing headcount.
If I was in charge retrain people under 50 for something, with more education subsidies (including free post-secondary education) increasing as Age decreases (eg an18 year old goes to college, a 45 year old learns welding) but with the caveat that you have to move out of Methlandia. (Relocation package provided.)[0] People over 50 or those that don't take the offer get free carfentanil.
