Silver City, NM: There has been an increase in illegal dumping activities around Grant County recently. This affects everyone in our community. It creates a visual eyesore that can have a discouraging affect on prospective residents and commercial interests as well as on tourism. There are numerous sites where broken glass or syringes and needles are being left, posing a serious health hazard. Rodents, insects and other vermin are also attracted to trashy areas further increasing the health hazard. It also costs your tax dollars having to clean up the mess.

One of the more unfortunate impacts has been on recycling. Because the recycling bins at the Grant County Administration Building and behind The Shoe Dept. have been getting too much trash in and around them on the weekends, they are now being removed over the weekend. Recycling can still be taken to the landfill drop-off on Saturdays from 8 to 4.

In some parts of the country illegal dumping is a problem because the residents don't have access to affordable, convenient trash and recycling services. That is certainly not the case in Grant County. The landfill at 318 S. Ridge Road is open Monday through Saturday. There are also transfer stations in the Tri-City area, Gila and Mimbres. You can call Southwest Solid Waste Authority at 388-8051 for more details. Recycling at the landfill or transfer stations is free with no weight limit.

There are recycling bins at convenient locations around the county that should be used strictly for recycling. You would be amazed at what the recycling crews find in the bins; everything from bags of household trash and yard trimmings to dead animals. Sometimes the contamination is so bad or has hazardous materials like needles that the entire contents of the bin have to go directly into the landfill.

Many of the large recycling bins were colorfully decorated by school kids several years ago when the recycling had to be sorted. Now we have gone to what is called single stream or mixed recycling. Everything, except glass, can go in the bin in any of the openings. There is no need to sort. Glass is not collected at any of the County drop-off locations. Glass can be taken to the recycling center at the landfill. Silver City residents have curbside recycling and glass should be placed in a separate bin or box beside your recycling bin.

To report illegal dumping in the Town of Silver City call 575-534-6348 and in Grant County call 575-574-0065. For questions about the landfill or recycling call Southwest Solid Waste Authority at 388-8051.