Curbside Recycling With 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.

Beginning in March 2012, the Solid Waste Management Department will distribute 21,000 carts to preselected areas of the City. Those that receive the new blue carts and the previous 10,000 recycling pilot program participants will be allowed to recycle the newly approved materials in their carts.

Below is a map with those areas that will receive a blue cart or that currently have a blue cart to be used for curbside recycling. The complete city-wide cart distribution roll-out is scheduled to take place toward the end of 2012. 

 To Learn when you will receive your cart click here.

Click Map to Print or Download Map

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 cardboad.
• 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
  • Phone Books
  • Books (Hard or Soft Covers)
  • Paper Egg Cartons
  • Soda Boxes
  • Milk Cartons / Juice Boxes
  • Shredded Paper (place shredded paper in cereal/cracker boxes)
• 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
  • 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!

More questions? Visit the pilot program's FAQ.