Honestly, the short answer is: sometimes—but not because of the lids by themselves. Separate lids on urban trash and recycling bins can help, mainly by making the right choice more obvious and reducing contamination. If people can clearly see where trash goes and where recyclables go, they are less likely to throw coffee cups, food wrappers, or greasy containers into the recycling stream. That improves recycling quality, which matters a lot for cities.
But design alone is not a magic fix. I would not expect separate lids to raise recycling rates much if the bins are confusing, dirty, hard to reach, or placed too far apart. In busy urban areas, people often make a quick decision while walking past. If the openings are awkward, the labels are vague, or the recycling bin looks like a second trash bin, the separate lids will not do much. It is also a problem when collection trucks mix everything together or when bins are not emptied reliably, because people stop trusting the system.
What tends to work is a combination: paired bins side by side, strong color coding, simple icons, clear wording, consistent placement, regular cleaning, and feedback that shows people their effort matters. In public spaces, language-neutral signs and well-sized openings for bottles and cans can help too. So yes, separate lids can contribute to better recycling rates—especially by cutting contamination—but they are one small part of a wider system. The bins need to make recycling easy, obvious, and trustworthy. If they do that, the lids can support the behavior. If they do not, the lids are mostly just extra plastic.