Not sure what to do with those greeting cards, heart-shaped candy boxes, and wilted flowers after Valentine’s Day? This month we bring you an inside look at solid waste management in Santa Fe County!
Understanding what material is entering the waste stream in the first place is an important first step in reducing our environmental impact. This past December, the New Mexico Recycling Coalition conducted a waste audit at the Pojoaque Pueblo in collaboration with the Pueblo’s Environment Department. During the audit, material from a curbside collection program was spread on a tarp and sorted into trash, organics, and recyclables. The findings from this audit will inform efforts to reduce the volume of waste that is sent to the landfill. You can conduct your own waste audit at home to find ways to reduce waste at the source, by doing things like opting for a reusable travel mug for your morning coffee. Click here for tips!
There are a number of recycling options in Santa Fe County. If you live in the City of Santa Fe, you probably have curbside trash and mixed recycling collection provided by the City. Items accepted in your blue recycling bin include certain plastics, cardboard, paper, and aluminum. Glass is not accepted curbside, but can be recycled at a number of drop off locations.
In addition, Santa Fe County operates six solid waste convenience centers for community members to drop off trash and recycling. It is free to bring scrap metal, mixed household recycling, and glass to any convenience center. Household trash, passenger vehicle tires, and green waste (i.e., weeds, grass clippings, and leaves) are also accepted with a valid solid waste punch card permit.
Much of the recycling collected by the County and City is taken to the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT), which is operated by the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency. County residents may also dispose of a range of materials at BuRRT, including household hazardous waste, electronic waste, scrap metal, tires, appliances, household recycling, green waste, and trash. In 2022, BuRRT received 9,546 tons of mixed recycling, 711 tons of cardboard, 1,737 tons of glass, 280 tons of scrap metal, and 197 tons of tires! It is free to drop off moderate quantities of household recycling (plastic, cardboard, aluminum, glass, and paper) at BuRRT. Fees apply to other materials; however, BuRRT offers free days throughout the year for certain items.
Contaminated recycling can impact worker safety, damage equipment, or result in material being sent to the landfill. Keep the following tips in mind when recycling curbside, at a County convenience center, or at BuRRT!
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Know what goes where. Visit the Santa Fe County recycling page for recycling guidelines or check out the City of Santa Fe Recycle Coach app to search for recycling instructions by item. As Valentine’s Day approaches, note that you can recycle greeting cards that are made of paper only. Cards with glitter and other non-paper decorations are not recyclable. You can also recycle clean candy boxes that are made of cardboard only and do not have a plastic coating. Remove candy wrappers and plastic wrap before recycling.
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Check the size. Items smaller than a postcard cannot be handled by the recycling equipment and should be composted or landfilled. Shredded paper may be placed in a clear plastic bag for recycling.
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Clean it out. Make sure all recyclables are empty, clean, and dry.
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Do not bag recyclables (except for shredded paper). Plastic bags get tangled in recycling equipment. Place your recyclables unbagged in the appropriate container. The only exception is for shredded paper, which should be placed in a clear plastic bag.
In addition to recycling, composting is an excellent way to keep food scraps, wilting Valentine’s Day flowers, and other organic materials out of the landfill. Click here to learn how to compost at home or check out organizations, like Reunity Resources, for compost collection and drop off options!
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