Surprising Laws All About Recycling and Garbage

It’s always fun to see what strange laws are kicking around out there, especially when they’re variations on a theme. Today we’re going to look at some bizarre laws that relate to recycling and garbage. We’ve pulled these from across the United States (and in some cases, beyond) and are only going to report on the craziest ones we could find. Here we go!

Reusable Bag Ordinance

If you go shopping in Santa Fe, you’ll want to be aware that you have to pay for paper grocery bags at $0.10 a pop. The reason for this is because the city wants to get residents to use reusable bags, which are known for being better for the environment. It’s also been put in place in an attempt to cut down on the massive amounts of litter and waste that plastic shopping bags are known for. Plastic bags are no longer even offered in the city’s stores.

Cigarette Butts

When it comes to the state of Illinois, forget about tossing your cigarette butt on the ground. You can actually get a fine of up to $1,500 for doing so. And if you commit the same offense three times, you could be charged with a felony, up to a $25,000 fine, and jail time. Yikes. It makes sense, as a large portion of roadway litter is from tobacco products, but is this going a bit too far?

Street Cleaning

If you litter in Singapore, you’re likely to end up paying a hefty fine. But if you do it more than once, you may end up on the streets cleaning up the litter yourself. You’ll be required to wear a shirt that signifies that you littered, as well. It sounds like the art of shaming is alive and well in Singapore.

Special Trash Bags

Those who are in Decatur, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, must bag all garbage in specific, special bags that can be obtained from the city or other local retailers. This is part of a program that is designed to encourage residents to reduce the amount of household waste they have. The bags cost anywhere from a couple of quarters up to a dollar and a half.

Trashy Rides

If you are driving around Hilton Head, South Carolina in a vehicle that is full of garbage, you can actually end up in some pretty major trouble. This violation can net you up to $500 in fines or even get you locked up in jail for a duration of a month. It’s probably easier and less stressful to just keep your car tidied up, so you don’t get in trouble for this one.

No Recycling on Sunday

And if you happen to be hanging out in Switzerland, it’s probably good to be aware that you cannot drop off your recycling on Sunday. Recycling is huge for the country, but this day is an exception to the rule. Don’t think that it’s a joke, either. People have been arrested for breaking this law.

That’s about it for crazy laws related to garbage. We hope you enjoyed you ones we shared, and look forward to finding some new wacky laws for you to check out next week.