A recycling plan to eventually ban all paper products from the city landfill got passionate support from dozens of Lincolnites who believe recycling is an important moral imperative that will promote a more liveable planet, during a three-hour public hearing Monday night.

But the plan, which will require trash haulers to offer recycling service, got equally passionate opposition from business owners who said it will raise housing costs for poor people and create a nightmare for landlords.

And the misdemeanor criminal penalties in the city ordinance created contentious confusion during the evening, with landlords fearing they could be arrested and fined $500 if their tenants don’t recycle appropriately and city officials suggesting no one has ever faced criminal penalties for other landfill ban violations and would not in the future.