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Santa Fe County Public Works Department Curbside recycling service is coming to the greater Santa Fe urban areas, located outside the City of Santa Fe on November 1, 2016.

In late spring, the Santa Fe County Board of Commissioners adopted Ordinance: 2016-4 expanding the County’s role in managing solid waste and recycling throughout the County. The ordinance establishes a new “Solid Waste Collection District” consisting of the higher density residential areas surrounding the City of Santa Fe, including Eldorado, Rancho Viejo, Tano Road area, Aldea, and La Cienega.

Solid waste haulers providing curbside residential refuse service in the Collection District will be required to also provide recycling service for a single “bundled” fee at least every other week. Haulers will no longer be allowed to offer “refuse only” service. This program is an alternative to a proposal the County considered early last year. All of the regular household-generated recyclable items currently accepted at County convenience centers, with the exception of glass, will be collected. Due to constraints associated with glass recycling and processing, glass is not included in this program. At least one hauler, currently offers glass recycling pick-up along with the collection of other recyclables.

Homeowners are not required to obtain curbside refuse and recycling service under the County ordinance. If they so choose, citizens may continue to self-haul their refuse and recyclable materials to a convenience center or BuRRT. Under the ordinance, private haulers are required to start providing recycling service by November 1, 2016.

The ordinance also requires all private haulers, providing residential, commercial, and construction/demolition service, operating throughout the unincorporated County to submit a solid waste and recycling data report to the County semiannually (twice per year). The County will use the haulers’ solid waste and recycling data to develop additional management policies and programs.

For more information contact Craig O’hare at 992-3044 or cohare@santafecountynm.gov. You can also contact Jeff Spillers at 992-3025 or jspillers@santafecountynm.gov.