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Materials Accepted in Albuquerque
Based on the listings above, materials commonly handled in Albuquerque include Appliances, Cardboard, Glass, Electronics, Plastics #1&2. Browse the guides below for preparation tips, scrap values, and what's recyclable.
Albuquerque runs a single-stream blue-cart curbside program through the city Solid Waste Management Department, with recycling picked up on a set day alongside trash. The big local quirk is glass: it is not accepted in the blue cart and instead goes into designated yellow bins at recycling drop-off sites around town. The city operates three convenience centers (Eagle Rock, Montessa Park, and Don Reservoir) for trash, large items, and other materials, plus nine recycling drop-off sites and a separate household hazardous waste center run by Safety-Kleen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can go in my Albuquerque blue recycle cart?
The city accepts paper (newspaper, junk mail, office paper, cardboard, cereal and cracker boxes, milk and juice cartons, brown paper bags, paper egg cartons), plastic bottles and tubs numbered 1 through 7, rigid plastics, and metal (aluminum cans, tin cans with paper labels removed, foil, pie pans, pots and pans). Shredded paper is only accepted inside a clear plastic bag. Keep out plastic bags, glass, food, yard waste, batteries, light bulbs, and small electronics.
Can I recycle glass in my curbside cart in Albuquerque?
No. The city asks residents not to put glass in the blue recycle cart. Glass is recycled separately in the designated yellow bins at the city recycling drop-off locations. There are drop-off sites throughout Albuquerque, including one at the Eagle Rock Convenience Center.
Where do I take household hazardous waste in Albuquerque?
Bring paints, automotive products, solvents, insecticides, and similar items to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center at 2720 Girard NE, operated under contract by Safety-Kleen. It is free for residents of the city and Bernalillo County (residential material only) and open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Loads are limited to 125 pounds and no larger than 55 gallons. Call 505-884-2277 for details.
How do I recycle electronics and e-waste in Albuquerque?
Electronics are not accepted in the blue cart. You can drop off e-waste at the Eagle Rock Convenience Center, where disposal fees apply. Accepted items include computers and peripherals, CPUs, LCD monitors, printers, DVD and VHS players, and cameras. Boxy CRT TVs and CRT monitors are not taken as e-waste, so call 311 to arrange a pickup for those. Batteries are treated as household hazardous waste and go to the Safety-Kleen center.
How do I get rid of a large item like a mattress or appliance in Albuquerque?
Solid Waste Management residential customers can have large items such as appliances, water heaters, mattresses, furniture, and televisions picked up at no charge; call 505-761-8138 to schedule. You can also haul items yourself to any of the three convenience centers (Eagle Rock, Montessa Park, or Don Reservoir), where per-load fees and quantity limits apply, for example up to 10 mattresses at Eagle Rock and Montessa Park.
Recycling tips for Albuquerque
•Glass does not belong in your blue cart. Rinse jars and bottles and take them to a yellow glass bin at a city drop-off site, including the one at Eagle Rock Convenience Center.
•Set carts out by 7 a.m. on your collection day and pull them back within 24 hours, and never bag your recyclables since plastic bags are a top contaminant.
•Batteries and light bulbs are not curbside items. Batteries count as household hazardous waste and go to the Safety-Kleen center at 2720 Girard NE, which is free for residents.
•If you live in an apartment complex with 25 or more units, recycling is handled through the property's multifamily program, so ask your management company, or use one of the city drop-off sites for glass and other materials.
•New Mexico has no bottle or can deposit, so there is no cash refund for returning containers here. Recycle them curbside (cans and plastic bottles) or at a drop-off site (glass) instead.
Recycling centers near Albuquerque
The closest recycling centers in neighboring areas: