Increasing Recycling

About the Increasing Recycling Project

The New Mexico Recycling Coalition, in partnership with the New Mexico Environment Department, has conducted in-depth research and solicited stakeholder input in response to HM51, a memorial passed in the 2014 session that looks to recommend strategies and policy to attain the NM Solid Waste Management Act’s 50% diversion rate goal. You may reference the legislation online.

In June 2014, a stakeholder meeting was hosted to receive initial feedback on strategies and policy initiatives. Best practices from high-performing recycling states and states that are in the process of planning for improved recycling rates was presented to the stakeholder group. Stakeholders then worked in break-out groups to build consensus around funding, short-term and long-term strategies, challenges and state needs.

The results from the 2014 stakeholder meeting were presented to a December 2 legislative Water and Natural Resources Interim Committee. HM51 Increasing Recycling 2015 Executive Summary based on stakeholder meetings from 2014 and 2015.

In 2015, further research and stakeholder input was gathered on state-level funding mechanisms as well as the outlined short and long-term strategies, to include a universal and mandatory recycling, statewide Pay-As-You-Throw, construction and demolition waste diversion, state agency waste diversion, landfill bans, measuring recycling and infrastructure requirements. An Executive Summary of the October 2015 stakeholder meeting will be released in 2016.

Another component of the 2015 Increasing Recycling project was to research and create a guide with resources for local communities to consider for commercial recycling expansion. See the tab below for more information.

Thank you to our generous 2015 sponsors for supporting these efforts:

PNM, South Central Solid Waste Authority, Friedman Recycling Companies, Waste Management Keep America Beautiful Think Green Grant, Gordon Environmental, New Mexico Clean and Beautiful, Waste Management, Anheuser Busch, Road Runner Waste Services, Sandia National Labs, Acme Iron and Metals and Goodman Realty.

HM56 Product Stewardship Program Study

The Executive Summary from a 14-member stakeholder task force in response to the 2013 House Memorial 56 can be found here.