Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro

Staten Island, New York

B.P. Molinaro urges Sanitation Department to re-word recyclables law in wake of exorbitant fine given to Staten Island man

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. –  In a letter to Department of Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty, Borough President James P. Molinaro today asked that the section of  Sanitation Law concerning the collection of recyclable cans and bottles for redemption be re-worded in order to spare can collectors harsh fines and penalties.

      The letter comes on the heels of a news story about Mr. Anthony McCorkle, a Staten Island resident who was ticketed for collecting recyclables and placing them in a borrowed automobile. (Mr. McCorkle had received permission from the homeowners before collecting the recyclables.)  A spokesman for the Sanitation Department stated “The Department does not issue violations to individuals who remove curbside recyclables via shopping cart or on foot.”  Because Mr. McCorkle used a car, he is facing up to $2,000 in fines, while his brother, the owner of the automobile, is facing an additional $2,000 fine plus car impound fees.

      Said Molinaro, “Are Sanitation inspectors given no discretion in their jobs? This man, who went out of his way to obtain permission from the homeowners he collected from, is obviously not running a business of any sort.  If someone takes the initiative to borrow a vehicle, travel the Island, and lug someone else’s trash around in order to make $20, do you really think that man can afford to pay upwards of $2,000 in fines? And is it necessary to drag the man’s brother into this mess, when his only “crime” is lending his vehicle to his brother?”

      Molinaro urged Doherty to change the law, saying: “I urge you to change the wording of this law to exclude those hard working men and women who collect bottles and cans to help put food on their table. What does it matter to you whether they collect on foot or by vehicle, and how can you tell homeowners what they can and cannot do with their property?  I think it should be quite easy to discern who is running a business and who is trying to make a few dollars.”

October 21, 2010