Bloomberg Looks To Double Recycling Fines

New York — As the moratorium on issuing tickets for violating the city’s new recycling rules ends, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is urging the city council to consider doubling recycling fines for those who do not comply.

Bloomberg’s proposal would double fines for violations such as mixing paper with glass, and the mayor’s office has estimated that the increase would bring in about $1.7 million.

Despite the mayor’s persistence, city council members say they have no plans to pursue raising fines now because the city has just finished changing the rules and has not sufficiently educated New York residents about their new responsibilities.

A New York Department of Sanitation (NYDS) spokesman said that the department plans to evaluate the moratorium to see if it should be extended or whether tickets should be issued.