Roswell, N.M. — The City of Roswell has resumed offering recycling opportunities for its
citizens with a new pilot program operated by the Solid Waste Department at the
municipal landfill.
The program, which is free of charge to citizens, was initiated at the direction of the mayor
and City Council in response to many citizen requests for a recycling program. As the
program gets underway, it is currently accepting corrugated cardboard, grade 1 and 2
plastic bottles, aluminum cans and tin cans.
Recyclables should be dropped off at the Roswell Municipal Landfill at 3006 W. Brasher
Road. When dropping them off, recyclables should be kept separate from regular trash loads
being brought to the landfill. All plastics must arrive at the landfill rinsed and cleaned out
and uncontaminated by other trash. The landfill staff will evaluate the recyclables as they
are being brought in and will direct the public to bins where the items can be deposited.
The cardboard and plastics collected at the landfill through this program featuring public-
private partnerships will be transported once a week to Greentree Solid Waste Authority in
Ruidoso Downs. Greentree has agreed to accept the items brought by the City of Roswell at
no charge. The cans left at the landfill will be picked up by Roswell Recycling Center (1900
E. Poe St.), which pays the city for the items. That recycling outlet also accepts metal
recyclables from the public.
Another partner is Target (2725 N. Main St.), which has an existing recycling program that
allows the public to bring a variety of recyclables to the local store. Target accepts batteries
(sizes AAA through D, and 9-volt), glass, plastic bags, cellphones, ink cartridges, plastic
bottles (grade 1 and 2) and aluminum cans. Target asks anyone with large quantities of
recyclables to contact team members at the service desk so they can give direction on how
to drop off those loads.
The City of Roswell invites other local businesses that would like to partner in this effort to
contact the Solid Waste Department at 575-624-6746.
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In addition to offering a means for local residents to recycle, this program will help
increase the landfill’s diversion rate by keeping some recyclable items out of the landfill,
which will contribute to extending the life of the landfill. The Solid Waste Department will
track the amount of recyclables coming in through the program and report the information
monthly to the city’s Infrastructure Committee.
The City of Roswell and its private-sector partners are optimistic this pilot program will
prove successful so the program will possibly be able to expand in the future. The hope is
that a greater variety of recyclable items can be collected and additional drop-off locations
added if the city is able to grow the program in the future.