TRENTON -- A bill aimed at fixing blind spots in regulating the recycling industry is moving through the New Jersey Legislature following a state report that found it remains vulnerable to influence from organized crime.

The State Commission of Investigation found in a report published earlier this year that many laws and regulations passed to keep those with mob ties from working in the waste industry don't apply to commercial recyclers who deal with construction debris and contaminated soils.

As a result, the commission found recyclers with ties to major organized crime families were illegally dumping fill and improperly re-using contaminated debris around the state -- even preying on homeowners whose neighborhoods were damaged by Hurricane Sandy to get rid of it.

A bill looking to rein in the recycling industry was advanced by the state Senate environmental committee on Thursday. It still has to be approved by the upper chamber's budget committee before receiving a full vote.

The measure (S2306) would expand the background check requirement to other jobs in the solid waste industry -- including sales people, consultants and brokers -- as well as members of the recycling industry, who are exempt from such oversight under current law.

The bill would also put the state Attorney General's Office in charge of screening applicants -- a job currently split between the office and the state Department of Environmental Protection -- and require state regulators to check with neighboring states to see if operators are banned from practicing elsewhere.

The Attorney General's Office has expressed reservations over expanding the oversight to recyclers.

But Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-Union), a sponsor of the new measure who wrote the original laws targeting mob-connected waste-haulers, called the issue "an environmental threat that requires a law enforcement response."

"The mob doesn't care if their actions cause contamination and health problems," he said.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.