New Mexico's largest city moves forward

By Jerry Powell, Resource Recycling

Albuquerque is the nation's latest large city to move to single-stream recycling collection and processing.

New Mexico's largest city has collected recyclables in bags for many years. However, according to city officials, participation has remained low, with the recycling rate hovering around five percent. But that will soon change.

By early next year, the city will provide cart-based weekly collection to 177,000 households. Already, some 33,000 homes are served. The recyclables will be delivered to a new, 25-ton-per-hour materials recovery facility (MRF) being built now and which will be open in early 2013 and be operated by Friedman Recycling.

By moving to a cart system, Albuquerque has been able to add numerous items to its collection list, including small electronics, mixed rigid plastics, juice boxes and books.

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