Recycling Information

Cost to Recycle: Free

Location: You will find a bin to place mixed recyclables at all County convenience centers

Preparation: With the exception of shredded paper, all mixed recyclables should be unbagged. All materials must be empty, clean, and dry. Flatten any cardboard boxes. You may leave plastic lids on plastic containers.

Accepted in Mixed Recycling Bin Aluminum cans Boxboard (e.g., cereal boxes, egg cartons) Brown paper bags Cardboard Food and beverage cartons Junk mail Magazines Newspaper Office paper Paperback and hardcover books Phone books Plastic bottles and containers (e.g., jars, tubs, clamshells) Rigid plastics (e.g., toys, laundry baskets, buckets) Shredded paper in a clear plastic bag Steel/tin cans

Not Accepted in Mixed Recycling Bin Batteries Bubble padded or Tyvek envelopes Electronics Coffee pods Containers which held toxins (e.g., paint, pesticides, motor oil) Food contaminated containers Garden hoses Glass (place in glass bin only)* Paper cups Paper towels, napkins, tissues Plastic film (e.g., shopping bags, bubble wrap, shrink wrap, food wrappers) Pressurized cylinders Scrap metal (place in scrap metal area only)* Styrofoam Syringes, sharps, or sharp containers Wax coated cardboard (e.g., coffee cups, lined cardboard takeout containers) Waxy paper (e.g., tea bag wrappers)

 *Scrap metal and glass are accepted for recycling in Santa Fe County, but are collected separately and should not be placed in the mixed recyclable bin. Please place these items in the designated area at the convenience center.

Where does it go? Mixed recyclables are taken to the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station in Santa Fe, which is operated by the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency.

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Cost to Recycle: Free

Location: You will find a bin to recycle glass at all County convenience centers

Preparation: Remove all lids from glass containers. Do not bag recyclables. Glass bottles and jars of all colors are accepted for recycling. Tempered glass and ceramics (e.g., mugs, plates, window glass, drinking glasses) have a different chemical composition and are not accepted. Do not place glass in the mixed recyclable bin.

Accepted in Glass Recycling Bin Bottles Jars

Not Accepted in Glass Recycling Bin Ceramics Drinking glasses Light bulbs Windows and window panes

Where does it go? Glass is taken to the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station in Santa Fe, which is operated by the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency.

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Cost to Recycle: Free. No more than 5 gallons are accepted in a single trip.

Location: Automotive fluids are accepted at the Eldorado, Nambe, San Marcos, and Stanley convenience centers.

Preparation: Bring in a secured container. Convenience center staff will handle the material for you.

Accepted in Automotive Fluids Recycling Area Gear Oil Hydraulic Oil Motor Oil Power Steering Fluid Transmission Fluid

Not Accepted in Automotive Fluids Recycling Area Anitfreeze Oil that has been mixed with water and other fluids Other Automotive Fluids

Where does it go? Automotive fluids are picked up by a company that refines or cleans them to make new fluids.

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Cost to Recycle: A punch card permit is required to drop off tires at County convenience centers. Click here for more information on the permits. Dropping off up to 4 tires will count as one punch on the permit. Permit holders may drop off up to 8 tires per month.

Location: You will find a bin to deposit tires at all County convenience centers.

Preparation: Remove rims from tires.

Accepted in Tire Recycling Bin Passenger tires

Not Accepted in Tire Recycling Bin Rims Heavy equipment tires and tractor tires

Where does it go? Tires are taken to the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station in Santa Fe, which is operated by the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency.

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Cost to Recycle: A punch card permit is required to drop off green waste at County convenience centers. Click here for more information on the permits. The number of permit punches to drop off green waste depends on the size of the load.

Location: Weeds, grass clippings, and leaves are accepted at all County convenience centers. Brush and tree waste are accepted at the Eldorado, Jacona, and Stanley convenience centers.

Preparation: Prepare brush and tree waste so that it is no more than 6 feet long and 18 inches in diameter. Green waste should be unbagged.

Accepted in Green Waste Area Brush Clean Wood Tree Trimmings

Not Accepted in Green Waste Area Items larger than 6 feet long or 18 inches in diameter Lumber Stumps Wood with paint or nails

Where does it go? Green waste is taken to the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station in Santa Fe, which is operated by the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency.

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Cost to Recycle: Free

Location: Scrap metal is accepted at all County convenience centers.

Preparation: All refrigerant containing appliances (e.g., refrigerators, air conditioners) must have the refrigerant removed by a trained professional prior to drop off at a County convenience center. These items will not be accepted without a CFC removal sticker. Scrap metal should be placed in the area designated at the convenience center and not in the mixed recyclable bin.

Accepted in Scrap Metal Area Aluminum Appliances Brass Catalytic Converters Copper Iron Lead Radiators Steel Wire

Not Accepted in Scrap Waste Area Electronics (other than household appliances) Lead-acid batteries Metal containing hazardous materials (e.g., undrained motor oil filters) Refrigerant containing appliances (e.g., refrigerators, air conditioners) without a CFC removal sticker

Where does it go? Scrap metal is sold to a metal recycling company in Santa Fe that sells it to be turned into raw material for manufacturing.

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Recycling Tips

·        Know what goes where. Recycling guidelines vary by location depending on the equipment that is available. The City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County follow the same recycling guidelines. Check the list above to learn what is accepted for recycling in the County. Contamination in recycling bins can impact worker safety, damage equipment, and result in material being sent to the landfill. When in doubt, throw it out!

·        Check the size. Items smaller than a post card cannot be handled by the recycling facility and should be composted or landfilled. Shredded paper may be placed in a clear plastic bag for recycling.

·        Clean it out. Make sure recyclables are empty, clean, and dry

·        Do not bag recyclables, except for shredded paper. Place recyclables loose in the appropriate container. The only exception is for shredded paper, which should be placed in a clear plastic bag.

 

Recycling Required at County Convenience Centers

Santa Fe County has made recycling mandatory at convenience centers. Any person placing recyclables in waste bins will be issued a warning or citation. If found guilty, the criminal penalty shall be a minimum of $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense, and $75 for the third offense.

 

Additional Recycling Resources

Click the links below to learn more.

 

·        Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency (SFSWMA) operates the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT). This facility accepts recycling and trash from County residents. Accepted materials include household hazardous waste, appliances, green waste, scrap metal, tires, glass, and mixed recyclables. Fees apply to certain materials. Visit the SFSWMA website or call (505) 820-0208 for details.

·        Santa Fe County Recycling Flyer is available in English and Spanish for a quick reminder of what is accepted in the mixed recycling bin at County convenience centers.

·        City of Santa Fe Recycle Coach allows you to search for recycling instructions by item. City and County residents follow the same guidelines for mixed recyclables that are collected curbside by the City or in the mixed recycling bins at County convenience centers. Not sure if you can recycle that yogurt container or milk carton? Ask the Recycle Coach!

Can’t find the material you wish to recycle?

Click here [CW1] for other recycling locations. Recycling processes and guidelines change frequently depending on available markets. Always contact the organizations for hours of operations and to confirm their recycling guidelines have not changed.

 

Recycling Directory for Other Materials[CW2] 

Looking for a place to take items that are not accepted in your blue recycling bin or at County convenience centers? Click on the menu below for other recycling locations.

Recycling guidelines change frequently depending on available markets. Always contact the organization for hours of operations and to confirm their recycling guidelines have not changed. Contact Santa Fe County at (505) 992-3010 to report out of date information or request that your business be added to this list.

Car batteries[CW3] 
Cell phones, cell phone batteries, tablets, and chargers
Corks
Fluorescent light bulbs
Electronic waste
Ink/ toner cartridges
Plastic Bags
Rechargeable batteries
Refrigerant containing appliances (e.g., refrigerators, air conditioners)
Used motor oil

 [CW1]Link to new page
 [CW2]New page
 [CW3]Each of these goes to a list of contacts for the particular item.

Cost to Recycle: Free

Location: Scrap metal is accepted at all County Convenience Centers.

Preparation: All refrigerant containing appliances (refrigerators, air conditioners) must have the refrigerant removed by a trained professional prior to drop off at a County Convenience Center. These items will not be accepted without a CFC removal sticker. Do not place scrap metal in the mixed recyclables bin.

Accepted Scrap Metal Area Aluminum Appliances Brass Catalytic Converters Copper Iron Lead Radiators Steel Wire

Not Accepted in Scrap Metal Area Electronics (other than household appliances) Lead-acid batteries Metal containing hazardous materials (e.g., undrained motor oil filters) Refrigerant containing appliances (refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.) without a CFC removal sticker Collapse Menu

Where does it go? Scrap metal is sold to a metal recycling company in Santa Fe that sells it to be turned into raw material for manufacturing.