The owners say the systems are expensive but provide an efficient way to meet the city's recycling requirements.

So were attempts to toughen the state's recycling requirements, to shut down its sole nuclear power plant, and to regulate land use more closely.

At the same time, however, the industry wants to deter the government from imposing recycling requirements on manufacturers.

Woodbury, just southeast of Philadelphia, has some of the most stringent recycling requirements in the nation.

Mr. Freedman also said the proposed regulations would make it easy for towns and cities to obtain waivers to the recycling requirements.

This legislation sets minimum recycling requirements for glass, metal, paper and other recyclable and compostable materials.

'On Our Own' Critics of the recycling program complain that after setting the recycling requirements and deadlines, the state has offered little assistance.

The recycling requirement would increase to 35 percent by 1999 and 50 percent by 2000.

Along 125th Street in Harlem the other day, many people said they had heard of the new recycling requirements from news reports.

Indeed, the backing by mayors was important in nudging White House officials toward the higher recycling requirement.