New Blue Recycling Cart Program
Beginning in May 2013, the Solid Waste Management Department will distribute 150,000 carts to each of their residential customers in the City. Those that receive the new blue carts will be allowed to recycle the newly approved materials in their carts.
Learn when you will receive a cart.
In November of 2011 the City of Albuquerque signed a 12 year agreement with Friedman Recycling. The agreement is in step with the Integrated Waste Management Plan. Cart based curbside recycling and a larger variety of acceptable materials are both realities to the new partnership.
How to Recycle Using Your New Blue Curbside Recycling Cart
The following are tips to help explain this program to you, so that you can use your new City-issued 96 Gallon Blue Recycling Cart correctly.
Proper Placement
- Do Not place *plastic bags in your blue cart.
- All approved items can be placed in the blue cart, including cardboard.
- Place your cart out at the curb no later than 7 a.m. on your regular pick-up day.
- Make sure that the front of the cart faces the street.
- Place your cart 5 feet away from all obstructions, including cars, poles, and additional carts.
- Please don't load your cart with more than 100 lbs.
- The lid of your cart must close with ease.
- If your cart is damaged or broken, missing or stolen, please call 311 for a replacement.
- Material left outside your cart will not be picked up.
Acceptable Items That MAY Be Deposited in Your Blue Cart
Newspaper, Magazines, Miscellaneous Paper Products
- All white and colored writing paper, computer paper, magazines, and newspapers including inserts
- Junk mail
- Corrugated cardboard (the double-walled cardboard with the wiggly center)
- Cereal / Cracker Boxes
- Books (Hard or Soft Covers)
- Paper Egg Cartons
- Soda Boxes
- Milk Cartons / Juice Boxes
- Phone books
Tin, Aerosol Cans, or Aluminum Cans
- Food and pet food cans
- Soda and beer cans
- Pots and Pans
- Small Metal Appliances
Plastic
- All plastic bottles and jugs with a screw top lid or that have a neck smaller than the base
- Two liter bottles
- Plastic milk jugs
- Bleach bottles
- Plastics #1 - #7
- Rigid Plastics (crates, hampers, toys)
Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
- Cell Phones
- Cameras
- Peripherals (Keyboard, mouse, cables)
- Rechargeable batteries
Prohibited Items
Please do not put these items in your blue cart.
- Hazardous waste
- Scrap metal such as metal pipe, hangers, wires, or automotive parts
- Hot ashes
- Concrete, rocks, gravel, or wood
- Pizza boxes
- Snack food bags (like chips or popcorn bags)
- Fast food containers, cups, or wrappers
- Styrofoam or styrofoam peanuts
- Plastic furniture
- Plastic Grocery Bags (Plastic grocery bags can be recycled at your local Smith's or Wal-Mart.)
- Plastic film
- Plastic wrap or dry cleaning bags
- Grass
- Leaves
- Plant trimmings
- Tree branches and prunings
- Computer Monitors
- T.V.'s
Glass Is Prohibited - Please DO NOT put glass in your cart
At this time, glass is not accepted as part of our "Curbside Recycling Pilot Program." However, glass jars, beer and wine bottles, baby food jars, and salad dressing jars can be taken to one of our 14 recycling drop-off sites. Find the most convenient sites for you!
New Collection Trucks
Our old recycling bag program was a completely manual operation. We had a fleet of yellow trucks designed for manual service. Each of our recycling drivers had to get out of the yellow trucks, manually lift each bag of recycling material and place the bags into the yellow trucks.
The new recycling cart program is a completely automated operation. Our drivers will now be driving a blue truck that comes equipped with an arm and gripper that will be used to service the blue recycling carts. By going to a fully automated system injuries will be reduced and a safer work environment will be created.
These trucks will be clearly marked with either a vinyl wrap promoting recycling or a flip sign. On those days that the trucks with flip signs are not needed to help collect recycling material they will be utilized to collect refuse. While collecting recycling material the signs will be open like.
