Local 10 reported that Miami Beach commissioners hope the new ordinance will raise awareness about recycling. Fines for those that fail to comply will increase with each violation. First offenders will be fined $350. This will rise to $500 for a second violation and $1,000 for a third violation.
Commercial recycling became mandatory for business owners in Miami-Dade County in 1992, according to
Miami Dade, with fines for non-compliance ranging from $300 to $950.
According to a
Fox News report, in some U.S. cities "local governments are placing computer chips in recycling bins to collect data on refuse disposal, and then fining residents who don't participate in recycling efforts and forcing others into educational programs meant to instill respect for the environment."
States which have already introduced compulsory recycling include Rhode Island, Kentucky and Nevada.