Recycling in Manhattan/My head is going to explode

I've always thought recycling to be a noble cause. And I feel like recycling centers are usually pretty gracious with what they accept.

Recycling in Manhattan, on the other hand, is QUITE the endeavor.

You must put the following in clear plastic bags:

Cleaned narrow-necked plastic and glass bottles in their own bag.

Paper in it's own bag. But NOT take-out trays or any other plastics.

All other is considered TRASH and MUST go in BLACK bags.

And don't worry, apparently there's a quota of bags per building you're allowed to set out on trash day. Uh?

My favorite rule:
Cardboard must be broken down and wrapped in twine. Like a Christmas package. Or Hannukah. I feel like I should light a menorah on the street to greet the recyclers...sheesh.

A couple calls to 311 to very pleasant but very confusing operators further complicated our predicament for large items that do not fit in black/clear bags. We wanted to know if we could dump a mattress and bedframe on the street. We could dump the mattress on TRASH DAY, but we can't dump the metal bedframe until RECYCLE DAY.

AND THE KICKER:
Apparently you are FINED around $200 for making an error in your recycling. Apparently, there are ticketers.

Is anyone else confused? I'm getting used to the routine of all of it, but not without several eye rolls.

And to think some people here compost ... makes my head spin.