New legislation to expand residential recycling in New York City has been signed into law.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the 11 new laws updating the city’s 21-year-old recycling laws Monday.

Under the new laws, the department of sanitation will take a full range of plastic containers – not just No. 1 and 2 containers previously collected – to a new Sims Recycling Solutions facility in Brooklyn.

The facility, which will be operational in 2012, is expected to divert 8,000 tons of plastic from the landfills the city uses. Public spaces will host 300 new recycling bins, and all public schools and city agencies will have recycling programs as well.

New programs include annual household hazardous waste collections in each borough, a clothing and textile recycling program, and a trial paint recycling effort.

Other provisions of the new laws aim for diversion, instead of tonnage, goals for recycling, different fine structures for residential properties that don’t recycle and periodic waste stream and recycling evaluation studies.

A food waste composting study also has been mandated, along with follow-up waste studies between 2012 and 2024.