The amount of material recycled in DeKalb could double in the next year if city council members act on findings from their environmental committee, the committee chairman said Monday.

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow said the ad hoc environmental committee’s findings are “the beginnings of a strong environmental program.”

Seventh Ward Ald. Jeff Monroe said the committee had “some very good recommendations.”

“Some of the recommendations are beyond what we’re ready for,” he said.

First Ward Ald. Amy Polzin said, “Everything is a serious concern to be looked at.”

Committee chair Fern Wernick said one of the more important recommendations is the one requiring the city to purchase recyclable materials. Recycling will take work at first, but it will save money in the long run, said committee member Midge Zonca.

Another idea the committee came up with is scheduling a day when volunteers would clean up the Kishwaukee River. Fifth Ward Ald. Bessie Chronopoulos said this has been done before successfully.

“It’s a good idea,” she said. “There was a massive effort to get the river cleaned up.”

Sparrow said the recommendations will go to the city’s staff so they can be reviewed.

“We’ll talk about what we can do and the time frame we can do it in,” he said.

Sixth Ward Ald. Jamie Pennington said he feels the city “is not at the point, as of yet, where we need to enforce recycling.”

“I think everyone should have the opportunity to recycle if they want,” he said.

Pennington suggested an ordinance requiring owners to make recycling available to tenants if they decide they want to recycle.

“I don’t see how we’ll do it (enforce recycling) without the city being the catalyst,” Chronopoulos said.

The council voted unanimously to bring the recommendations back after city staff evaluates them.