Down At The Recycling Swamp
by John Weckerle
Your editor has been recycling and composting as long as the opportunity has been there to do it. While we now have “curbside” (there isn’t a curb within about five miles of this place) recycling pickup at New Mexico Central headquarters, we had a backlog that needed disposition, and given that we also had some plain old Spring cleaning trash to get rid of, we decided to take the whole kit and kaboodle off to the Bernalillo County transfer station between Zuzax and Tijeras. Our normal modus operandi has been to take it into Albuquerque, because the sorting requirements for the Bernco location are nothing short of absurd, but we figured one stop would be better than two, so we bit the bullet and went for it. As action hero Jack Slater would say, “big mistake.”
After we dumped the routine trash into the user-friendly, paved, and dry conveyor system for materials headed for the landfill, we drove down to the recycling dumpsters, which were essentially an island in a sea of mud. Unfortunately, the nature of this mud was to make the situation look better than it was, and we stepped out unsuspectingly into a slippery quagmire of sticky muck. We ended up not only with a new color for the bottom half of our shoes and a good bit of our pants, but an absolute mess in the car.
The condition of the recycling area was inexcusable and unsafe. It is only a matter of time before somebody goes in there after a storm, slips, and gets hurt – and likely sues the County for the gross negligence represented by the mess at the transfer station. The area should be immediately properly graded, drainage features should be installed as needed, and appropriate surface material should be applied to protect the public from potential injury. For what it’s worth, the ridiculous sorting requirements should be eliminated, as well; if one can deposit unsorted plastic, cans, etc. in the dumpsters in Albuquerque, the same capability should be available at the transfer station.
3 Responses “Down At The Recycling Swamp”
I too choose to deposit my recycling across from Costco in Albuquerque because of the stringent sorting requirements at the transfer station. I recently had the opportunity to take a fieldtrip to the ABQ recycling headquarters WAY on the westside. It was a very informative visit (milk cartons make them the most $)but our guide could not understand nor explain the ridiculous rules posted at the Zuzax site. He said ALL of the recycling goes to THE SAME location where it is ALL dumped TOGETHER (with the exception of glass) and then their sorting machines do the rest. BTW:They also employ homeless persons by partnering with the Salvation Army.
PS I went to vote for Chuck today but I guess I don’t live in an area that’s “a real” part of Edgewood. No vote for me :o(.
Thanks, Misty B.! I didn’t realize there was a drop-off near Costco; we’ve been hauling it to Wyoming and Menaul. The Elizabeth Street one near Costco would be far more convenient. Those looking for drop-off sites can find them at http://www.cabq.gov/solidwaste/recycling/dropoff
Thank you for trying Misty B. Regardless of where you live in my mind you are part of the Edgewood “Community.”