I'm not sure if I'm understanding exactly what's meant by using one's own bins, but if that means using one's own trash cans for the trash removal people to dump the contents of into their trucks, we don't have that option where we live. We are required to used the bins provided by the city. Which I can understand, since they are specially made so they can be hoisted up by a mechanism made for that purpose on the trash removal truck.

However, I agree that recycling as much as possible in order to keep the amount of refuse to be hauled away to a minimum is the way to go.