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Taos County officials outline expansion plans for county recycling hub
Summary
County recycling staff told the Taos Town Council they aim to scale a county‑run recycling hub by buying new baling equipment, increasing public outreach and partnering with the town; presenters said current capture rates are low and equipment upgrades could substantially raise capacity.
Lorenzo Gutierrez, introduced to the council as a county recycling officer, and Edward Martinez, Taos County solid‑waste director, told the council the county operates a recycling hub on Highway 64 and is working to expand services and capacity.
Gutierrez said current traditional recycling capture in Taos County is “about 10%, maybe 20% on a good day,” and described staged targets: “We'd like to get it up to at least 50% in the next few years,” with longer‑term aspirational goals discussed for higher diversion. He and Martinez said the hub accepts cardboard, plastics, aluminum, white goods and other materials, operates three reuse centers and relies on certified staff to keep contamination low.
Martinez described recent equipment investments that staff say will reduce manual labor and raise throughput. He said the county received funds to replace a hand‑fed vertical baler with a unit that will accept more material and described a planned horizontal baler (presenters cited roughly $100,000 plus additional conveyor costs) that would let the hub process mixed paper and speed bailing of cardboard and plastic.
Speakers emphasized the importance of clean, separated loads and robust public education. ‘‘The key to recycling…is separation. If we don't separate anything, all we have is a pile of trash,’’ Gutierrez said, urging school programs and outreach. Martinez added operational details and invited the town to coordinate on drop‑off points and staffing.
Council members asked about short‑term staffing and financing. Gutierrez and Martinez said the program intends to be self‑sustaining but may rely on short‑term rate revenue or modest fees while equipment and markets stabilize; they credited a recent county rate study and an existing $15 per‑year county fee that provides some support. Presenters also described recent volumes and material counts for the program and emphasized safety steps taken after lithium‑ion batteries in the waste stream caused fires at transfer stations.
The presentation included an invitation to collaborate: county staff offered technical advice if the town opens a part‑time collection center and said they could advise on what materials to accept and how to keep loads clean. Martinez also announced Earth Day plans including an April 22 cleanup and an e‑waste take‑back at the balloon event.
The council thanked county staff and signaled interest in working with them on opening a town collection point and on public education consistent with the county’s operational recommendations.
