MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Madison residents are now required to recycle clean plastic bags.

A new law that took effect Saturday says they have to take the plastic bags to any of 10 city drop-off sites or private plastic bag recycling locations. Fines range from $100 to $400 a year.

But city recycling coordinator George Dreckmann stressed that the city doesn't intend to enforce the law and would focus instead on encouraging residents to comply.

Brandon Scholz is president and chief executive of the Wisconsin Grocers Association. He tells the Wisconsin State Journal that the program is an ineffective use of city resources because many private companies already offer the same service. He also predicted the city's outdoor bins would be hard to keep clean and difficult to monitor for misuse.