So... etiquette question

You're about to throw out a can or a bottle of soda. You live in a state that does bottle deposits (which, incidentally, have not kept up with inflation at all, but that's not the point). You approach the trash can. There's a (probably homeless) person reaching into the garbage to take out cans and bottles for the deposit. Do you a. act normally and throw out the can or bottle b. kinda perch it on the edge of the trash can c. hand it directly to the can collector or d. walk to the next can up, which you think they haven't hit yet? (D is the coward's method, and thus, the one I always choose.)

On a related note, Eva shamed me today by giving her last 50 cents to a panhandler on the train. I would've given him some money too, but all I had were $20s and I kinda need those for the groceries. There's definitely no polite way to ask for change from a panhandler, is there? (If there is, let me know, I'll adopt it!)