To find answers about recycling and composting from other suggested sites, check out the resources on the right.
PROHIBITED MATERIALSWhat can't I throw away?
View these prohibited materials to be sure that you do not have special waste.
click here >
EPA
Questions
- What forms of payment are accepted?
- Can I recycle envelopes with cellophane windows?
- What should I do with empty paint cans?
- Can I recycle post-it notes and envelopes with gummy adhesives?
- Can I recycle my used mattress?
- What is a landfill?
- What is the purpose of a landfill?
What Forms of Payment are Accepted?
Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency accepts cash, check, Visa or Mastercard, or approved credit accounts only. Checks can be made out to SFSWMA.
Apply for a Credit Account Here.
Can I Recycle Envelopes with Cellophane Windows?
Yes! However, if you are willing to put in the extra effort, remove the cellophane before recycling it that is preferred!
What Should I do with Empty Paint Cans?
Once empty, paint cans are not toxic and can be disposed of in the regular trash. Paint cans containing water based latex paint can be disposed of in a few ways other than bringing it to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Facility.
- One way is to set the paint out in the sun on a warm day and let the paint dry up. Once the paint is dried it can be thrown away.
- Another option is to mix in a solidifying agent such as dirt or kitty litter and once hardened throw the can away.
- If the paint is still in good condition it can be Donated to a reuse place such as Habitat for Humanity.
Any paint that is not water based can be disposed of at the BuRRT Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Facility is open Fridays and Saturdays ONLY, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Can I Recycle Post-it Notes and Envelopes with Gummy Adhesives?
Yes! BuRRT can recycle all paper as long as it is not contaminated with food nor has a plastic or wax layer to it, such as a paper cup.
What about Plastic?
Visit the Plastic section to see which items can be recycled and which are trash.
Can I Recycle My Used Mattress?
Unfortunately there is no way to recycle your mattress in Santa Fe so it must be sent to the landfill. You can call the City for a large item pick up or you can bring it to BuRRT. If your mattress is like new, you could check with one of the local Donation Centers to see if they would take it.
What is a Landfill?
There are two ways to bury trash
Dump
An open hole in the ground where trash is buried and that has various animals (rats, mice, birds) swarming around. (This is most people’s idea of a landfill!)
MSW Landfill
Carefully designed structure built into or on top of the ground in which trash is isolated from the surrounding environment (groundwater, air, rain). This isolation is accomplished with a bottom liner and daily covering of soil. Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill uses a synthetic (plastic) liner to isolate the trash from the environment.
What is the Purpose of a Landfill?
The purpose of a landfill is to bury the trash in such a way that it will be isolated from groundwater, will be kept dry and will not be in contact with air. Under these conditions, trash will not decompose much. A landfill is not like a Compost pile, where the purpose is to bury trash in such a way that it will decompose quickly.
