The Washington, D.C. Department of Public Works is apparently so dedicated to enforcing recycling laws that they’re willing to dig through trash to find evidence to issue fines. A resident says she’s been stuck with $2,000 worth of fines, some of which come from a government employee who admits to discovering her violations by snooping in her garbage.

My Fox DC reports the woman is fighting her citations, and a member of the D.C. council has asked for a meeting with the department to talk about the case.

In a statement, the department says it does not enforce residential recycling, but apartment buildings with four or more units are fair game. The statement says the department emphasizes education but resorts to fines when that doesn’t work. In an email to the news station, the department says other evidence than that which was dug up in the trash showed that the woman’s fine was justified.

DC Resident Fined Thousands For Not Recycling Cat Litter [My Fox DC via Fark]

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