Last updated, 2/2/2020
Contact: Carol Chamberland
Recycle via blue bins
| Item | Comments | ABQ* |
| Paper products | ||
| Brown paper bags | Reusable cloth grocery bags are much better. | Yes |
| Cardboard | Yes | |
| Cash register receipts | The ink is generally petroleum-based and the paper contains BPS | No |
| Coated liquid food cartons (milk, juice, etc.) | Carton recycling is a specialized process not currently available in NM | No |
| Dry food boxes | Remove the plastic/waxed bag inside the box. | Yes |
| Hard bound books | The adhesive in the binding is not recyclable. Remove the binding before putting in Blue Bin. | Yes |
| Junk mail | See-through address slots in envelopes are OK. | Yes |
| Magazines | Yes | |
| Newspapers | Yes | |
| Paper | Yes | |
| Paper egg cartons | Yes | |
| Paperback books | Yes | |
| Pizza boxes | Only recycle portion that has no oil/grease. | Yes |
| Phone books | Yes | |
| Shredded paper | Must be in see-through plastic bags. | Yes |
| Tissues/napkins/paper towels | No | |
| Waxed paper | Commercial composters can take this material. | No |
| Wax/plastic lined paper take-out food containers | No | |
| Wrapping paper | Already recycled too many times, often contains coatings and glitter. | No |
Plastic products |
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| Bottles/tubs #1-7 | Only recycle if it didn’t contain oil/grease. Leave tops on. | Yes |
| Plastic wrap (e.g., Saran) | No | |
| Rigid (bulky, non-food) | Yes | |
| Styrofoam food take out box | No Styrofoam at all, even if it has a recycle triangle mark. | No |
| Styrofoam Peanuts/bubble wrap | No | |
Metal products |
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| Aluminum cans | Free of contents. | Yes |
| Aluminum foil/pie pans | Only recycle if it didn’t contain oil/grease. | Yes |
| Steel/tin cans | Free of contents. | Yes |
| Foil seals on yogurt or other containers | Discard in black bin | No |
Alternative Recycling – Do Not Recycle in Blue Bins
There is extensive information on how & where to dispose of non-recyclable and hazardous waste published by the City of Albuquerque and the New Mexico Recycling Coalition. Examples of items that can be recycled in other ways:
Aerosol/propane cans
Appliances
Batteries
Car & truck parts/fluids
Electronics/cords
Glass
Medical bio-waste/ needles/pills
Miscellaneous metals
Plastic bags
Yard waste/wood
Goes to the Landfill via Black Bin
Diapers
Garbage
Hoses
Kitty litter
Styrofoam
Hazardous materials – do not recycle, do not dispose in trash
Residents of the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County may bring residential some hazardous wastes to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center (HHWCC) at no charge. Other residents will need to check with their municipality or the NM Environment Department. Examples of items that do not belong in a landfill include:
Fluorescent light bulbs
Household chemicals/pharmaceuticals
Mercury
Oil/antifreeze
Oil-based paints
Pesticides/fetrilizers
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