State to Fund Anti-Scavenging Effort : Grant: City is awarded $100,000 to expand a program that cracks down on people stealing from residential recycling bins.

The state Department of Conservation awarded the city of Los Angeles $100,000 to help expand an anti-scavenging program that had successful results during a pilot effort in the west San Fernando Valley, officials announced Wednesday.

The program pays police and reserve officers to work overtime at night and in the early morning hours to nab people who steal newspapers, aluminum cans and bottle from the residential recycling containers.

The six-month pilot program in the West Valley ended in June and resulted in police issuing 200 warning letters and 22 citations to scavengers.

On Wednesday, the City Council’s Waste and Environmental Management Committee recommended using the state grant and an additional $500,000 in city funds to expand the program citywide for a year. The city’s contribution is expected to come out of the sale of the recyclables collected from the curbside program.

A report by the city’s Bureau of Sanitation said that the amount of newspapers collected from the city’s recycling program has dropped steadily since March, 1994, even though the program was expanded to include West Los Angeles in September, 1994.

In March, 1994, the city collected just over 4,500 tons of newspapers. By August that number dropped to just over 1,500 tons per month, according to the bureau report.

The increase in scavenging has been sparked by a dramatic increase in the price of newsprint, according to city recycling officials. A ton of newspapers fetched only $20 about two years ago. Today a ton can bring in up to $150.

Councilwoman Laura Chick, who represents parts of the West Valley and has spearheaded the anti-scavenging program, urged the committee to expand the program citywide to help keep the recycling program viable.

According to the Bureau of Sanitation report, the pilot program operated by police and sanitation officials in the West Valley increased the amount of recyclables collected from the curbside bins, bringing in an additional $8,000 per month in revenue from the sale of recyclables.

“The program that was implemented in West Valley area appeared to be the most successful and will be used as the model” for a citywide expansion, the bureau’s report said.

In addition to increased police patrols, the citywide program will pay for public service announcements on TV and in newspapers to warn the public that it is illegal to take from the bins and is punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and one year in jail.

Residents can report scavengers by calling the city’s resource hot line at (800) 773-CITY. If the scavenger’s license plates are reported, the city will send a letter to the registered owner of the vehicle warning the owner about the penalties for scavenging.