Santa Fe proposes increased recycling fees

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

December 11, 2015 05:28:16 AM

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Santa Fe, New Mexico has proposed hike in recycling fees to fund the purchase of new recycling equipment to switch to single stream recycling. As part of the proposal, both residential curbside and commercial recycling rates will be increased to fund the single stream equipment.

The residential recycling rates will see a hike of 14.1%. The base recycling rates for residences will go up from the current levels of $13.80 per month to as high as $15.75 per month. The commercial rates would be increased by 17% on average, effective July 1st. The increased rates would help the residential recycling program to become self-sufficient. The automated single-stream recycling service is expected to commence next September.

New Mexico Finance Authority is expected to sanction a loan amounting to $4.2 million towards purchase of vehicles, roll-off dumpsters and carts. The proposed fee hike will generate nearly $760,000 per year, which will go as repayment against the loan. According to City documents, the recycling fees will not be hiked further before 2020. The new plan proposes automatic collection of waste and is expected to provide increased worker safety in recycling sector. The city also intends to give big boost to quantity of collected materials.

As part of the program, Santa Fe has also expanded the list of acceptable recyclables by including more categories like books, egg cartons, plastics numbered from 3 to 7. The acceptable items now include plastic containers water bottles, milk jugs, laundry soap containers, clamshells, yogurt containers, milk cartons, juice cartons and plastic drink packaging.

However, glass will no longer be picked up. Instead, mobile disposal stations will be set up at locations across the city to collect them. The glass collection centre will be stationed at one particular location each Monday, another location each Tuesday and so on.