Beware The Philly Recycling Police
By Wyatt Earp | August 29, 2010
First, they threatened to force bloggers . Then, they towed away the Cupcake Lady’s truck. Now, they’re fining people for not recycling enough:
Of all the trash bags on all the streets in all the city, they rummaged through his. And then, they gave him a ticket for not recycling. Kevin Stutler – a man who not only sorts his own plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, and empty cans, but also cleans up the trash from his less conscientious neighbors – could not believe the irony.
Acting on orders from the mayor and City Council to pressure residents to recycle, the Streets Department is dispatching 46 enforcers to rummage through the garbage people put out on the street. When they locate unauthorized materials in the trash, these inspectors have the authority, nay, the obligation, to act.
But Sutler believes his fine – for failing to recycle a single plastic bottle – is ludicrous and unjust in a city filthy with litterers. Not to mention an appeals process that strikes him as, well, garbage.
Of course, the hippie thinks the law should apply to everyone but him, but that’s not the point. Stutler left his garbage out before visiting relatives in Ohio. Everything was separated and collected, but as he was walking to his car, he found an empty plastic bottle by the curb. Stutler picked it up and put it in the garbage bag before driving off. The result? The Recycling Nazis hit him with a $50 fine for not recycling one plastic bottle. Are you frakkin’ kidding me?
It’s been a pretty good week for my hometown, huh?
Topics: Philly | 20 Comments »
August 29th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Yet, the city has no problem with all the refuse, grime and vacant homes that it should be doing something about. No…they get all weird about one stupid plastic bottle.
August 29th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
“The government big or powerful enough to give you everything, is big or powerful enough to take everything from you.” I know it is not an exact quote, nor do I know who originally said it, but the statement does seem to fit.
I guess next they will be shutting down lemonade stands for lack of the necessary permits. Oh, they did that already?
August 29th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
RT – God bless this town!
Robert B. – I think that was the west coast, but I wouldn’t put it past Philly.
August 29th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Well the law is the law. I like how hippies think they can pick and choose which ones to follow but the rest of us better follow them dammit. But that is an entirely different conversation.
$50 for a single plastic bottle. What if I was walking my dog down the street drinking a soda and when it was empty I was walking by his place and put the empty in the garbage can that was out on the curb. If I got a ticket for one bottle, I would tell the garbage Nazis to prove that I put the bottle in there. And make them come to court and tell their side to the judge.
I guess it is much easier for the 46 enforcers to cite peace loving hippies than it is for them to go downtown and write tickets for littering and such.
August 29th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
I hope he tosses the ticket into his recycling bin.
Everyone who lives in this city should be raising nine kinds of hell the next time they step into a voting booth.
August 29th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Ingineer66 – The problem is getting them to court. This hippie got a court date to fight his ticket . . . in June 2011.
Mrs. Crankipants – Never happen, but it would be nice. Rumor has it Sam Katz may throw his hat in the ring. He’d get me vote. We need a businessman in City Hall.
August 29th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
This reminds me of the Half-Life 2 garbage can scene: “You are NON-COMPLIANT, Citizen!”
August 29th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Frikkin ridiculous…
August 29th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Recycle Mayor Squidward and most of city council… and 95 percent of the bureaucrats.
August 29th, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Hmmmm….white guy, Mt. Airy…only guy in neighborhood to get a ticket…..
I wonder…….
August 29th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Ughh…now the hippies are infiltrating the ranks of law enforcement.
August 29th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Dixie – Right before they blast you.
Old NFO – Frakkin’ Philadelphia.
Bob – I’m with that!
Medic – RACISM!!!
DL – It was only a matter of time, right?
August 30th, 2010 at 6:14 am
I wonder what the fine is for placing an item for recycle in the incorrect enforcement officers and/or the mayors receptacles?
We as a nation have arrived at a point where citizens “have the authority, nay, the obligation, to act”.
August 30th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Well, it’s great to see that crime levels in Philly are so low that the authorities can waste time and money prosecuting cupcake ladies for parking in the “wrong” spot and middle-aged hippies for failing to recycle all their trash…
[/sarcasm]
August 30th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Wyatt:
Just another case of yet ANOTHER “double-standard”…
Wonder if they ENFORCE such things in “de ghetto” (where EVERYTHING NEEDS to be “recycled”…especially the people).
I’d bet it isn’t.
Helluva way to practice “equality”.
August 30th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
[...] …is ridiculous. Now, there are a lot of things I could comment on here– encroachment of government, the surreality of being fined for one bottle, the irony of a guy who recycles so much being fined while on vacation… but I’m just going to say that this reminds me of something: [...]
August 30th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Brian – We’re a long way from the Founders’ vision, I’ll give you that.
Wes S. – So I shouldn’t mention the double-shooting we had last night?
Bob G. – Mt. Airy is a nice place surrounded by the ghetto. They ignore stuff on the drive over to ticket the working people.
August 30th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Go safely regardless how it turns out Mr. Earp.
August 31st, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Dixie – Right before they blast you.
Actually, they start beating you with stun batons, but, eh… same thing. (chuckle)
August 31st, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Damn, Wyatt. I should have given you grief too. Not just Woody.
http://cbullitt.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/a-soylent-green-psa-govt-eco-narcs-in-cleveland/