Santa Fe steps up recycling efforts
In July 2015, the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency, working with the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County, expanded the types of materials for our local recycling program. City curbside bins and recycling dropoffs can now accept more materials. The expansion includes all plastic containers, regardless of the number, all paper products, including empty pizza, cereal and tissue boxes, as well as all metal containers and foil. Because of this, recycling has increased by 12 percent.
In December 2015, the City Council approved changing the curbside recycling collection program to an automated cart collection program. Rather than using the current small 18-gallon bins, the city plans to provide each household with a larger cart for weekly recycling collection.
Due to the lack of markets in New Mexico able to process glass that is mixed with other recyclables, the city will no longer collect glass at the curb. The Solid Waste Management Agency currently utilizes an Albuquerque recycling contractor to process our recyclables. This contractor does not accept glass in mixed recycling or “single stream” recycling programs. From a broader prospective, the closest recycling plants that could process glass in the “single stream” program are located in Colorado or Texas. Utilizing these markets would be very cost prohibitive for our program.
The automated recycling program represents a substantial expansion of recycling services for city residents and, to that end, the recently approved monthly solid waste fee increase will be used to support the new automated program, and purchase of trucks and carts. It is anticipated that recycling will increase 80 percent within the first year of this program.
Santa Fe County is in the process of changing its ordinance to require private hauling companies that provide solid waste services to residents to also provide recycling services as part of a single-priced offering. When this program rolls out, it is anticipated that 16,000-18,000 county households could soon have access to curbside recycling at their homes. Not all county residents have access to curbside service and having it will not be required. The county will continue to operate convenience centers for those residents who manage their own solid waste and recycling.
The county has provided enhancements to several convenience centers to increase the efficiency of services provided. The county is currently planning to build a new Jacona Convenience Center at a different location off Highway 502 so that residents have better access to solid waste and recycling programs.
Glass continues to be accepted for recycling in the city and county recycling programs as a separate material. The glass will either be processed by the agency into a product sold to an Albuquerque manufacturer or sent to Phoenix where Strategic Materials will recycle it. As an alternative to collecting glass at the curbside, the city will establish glass drop-off centers that will be conveniently located for residents to utilize. Residents can always drop off their glass at the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station seven days a week.
The changes to Santa Fe’s solid waste system in 2015 were undertaken based on the results of an extensive solid waste assessment and management study performed in 2014 by a consultant. As these significant improvements unfold, Santa Fe will see more diversion away from the landfill, an increase in the amount of recycled materials available to manufacturers in the marketplace and provide a cleaner environment for our community. The improved recycling system in Santa Fe reinforces the leadership by the city and county in sustainability throughout New Mexico and the Southwest U.S.