> They offer mainly short-term benefits to a few groups -- politicians, public relations consultants, environmental organizations, waste-handling corporations
An important benefit is to the citizens who get to feel good about doing something to help the environment.
This psychological / ritualistic aspect is probably just as important as the other ones.
It makes the idea of helping the environment more prominent in people's minds, thereby making them more likely to do more to help it in the future (although it could have the opposite effect for some, making them think that because they already recycle they don't have to do anything more).
I would argue that your parenthetical is more the norm, for the general population - given that people have the delusion that their zealous recycling is helping the environment, they feel like a large amount of their environmental-responsibility quota is fulfilled. They then pay little attention to all the actual harm they do through consumption and other activities. That is my perception having grown in a city that embraced recycling early (Portland, OR, USA) and where you are pilloried if you even hint that maybe recycling most things is a waste.
An important benefit is to the citizens who get to feel good about doing something to help the environment.
This psychological / ritualistic aspect is probably just as important as the other ones.