City launches campaign to clarify what goes in the recycling bin

METRO BEAT

The city of Albuquerque’s Solid Waste Management Department is starting a recycling education campaign to let residents and businesses know what belongs in blue recycle carts and teal bins. In addition to key messages about recycling best practices, the “Recycle Right ABQ” campaign will share stories from the community about how recycling has made a difference in the city.

“Recycling Right is now more important than ever before,” Matthew Whelan, director of the Solid Waste Management Department, said in a statement. “Through this campaign, we are encouraging residents and businesses to know what goes into their blue recycle carts and bins. We need the community’s help to make sure we are doing everything we can to recycle cleaner materials and improve recycling in our city.”

Some items that should not go into your blue cart or teal bin include: food waste, trash, plastic bags, tanglers (ropes and hoses), bubble wrap, textiles, Styrofoam and household hazardous waste.

A new online app, Recycle Coach, allows residents to ask questions about what can go into their blue cart. For example, residents can type in the word “potato chip bag” in the app’s search function and find out whether it is recyclable, which is “no” in this case. Residents can download the Recycle Coach app at their favorite app store.

For more information, visit recyclerightABQ. com. COUNTY AWARDED GREEN STORMWATER

GRANT: Bernalillo County’s Stormwater Quality Program has been selected for a Great Urban Parks Campaign grant by the National Recreation and Park Association. The county is one of 10 organizations nationwide awarded the grant, which supports the development of green stormwater infrastructure.

The $220,000 grant award will be used to install green stormwater infrastructure/low-impact design landscaping along the northern end of the Second Street trail, from the South Diversion Channel — just south of Heather Lane SW — to Prosperity Avenue, a distance of just over a mile.

The project will continue the landscaping currently being installed along the trail that began at Valle de Oro Urban Wildlife Refuge, ultimately connecting the Mountain View community with the refuge.

The county is scheduling community meetings for public input and anticipates the first meeting to take place in February, with the project breaking ground by spring 2019.