Trash & Recycling in Doña Ana County, NM (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Doña Ana County, New Mexico.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
In unincorporated Doña Ana County, weekly trash collection is mandatory: private haulers or self-service commercial users must pick up or dispose of solid waste at least once a week, and every container used for storage between pickups must fully enclose and be leakproof under County Code Section 287-4.
Doña Ana County Trash Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsDoña Ana County Code Section 287-4(B)
Private sanitation company service. (1) Frequency of service. Solid waste collection services must be provided on at least a weekly basis, or more frequently if necessary to keep the premises free of solid waste consistent with the provisions of this article. (2) Containers. Containers utilized for the storage of solid waste on the premises between collections must be designed so as to fully en...
Bin Placement Rules
Unincorporated Doña Ana County requires every solid-waste container, whether it sits at a house or is hauled to disposal, to fully enclose and contain the waste and stay leakproof. Section 287-4 applies the same standard to storage between collections and to transport, but the code does not set street-side placement or pickup-time rules.
Doña Ana County Waste Container Requirements
Light RestrictionsCode of Doña Ana County § 287-4(A)(3)
Containers. Containers utilized for storage of solid waste on the premises, and for transportation of solid waste to a disposal facility, must be designed so as to fully enclose and contain the solid waste, and must be leakproof for storage or transport of any solid waste.
Recycling Requirements
Doña Ana County does not run curbside recycling; residents haul single-stream recyclables to the County's solid waste convenience stations, where § 179-43 accepts them free of charge. Regular trash still costs $4 to $12 per load depending on size, so separating recyclables before a station trip saves money.
Doña Ana County Free Recyclables Drop-Off
Light RestrictionsDoña Ana County Code § 179-43
Pursuant to Chapter 287, Solid Waste, Article I, Collection and Disposal, the fees set forth below shall be charged and paid by persons disposing of normal residential solid waste at the County's convenience stations. This schedule of fees shall be effective July 1, 2010. ... All loads are subject to fees based on a rate of $4 per approximately 200 pounds or 1/2 cubic yard. Untarped or unsecure...
Illegal Dumping
Doña Ana County fines illegal dumping up to $1,000 for ordinary refuse, litter or garbage disposed of outside an authorized landfill, and up to $5,000 for illegally dumped hazardous waste. Section 287-6(B) sets both penalties on top of the County's power to abate the mess and lien the property.
Doña Ana County Illegal Dumping Fines
Heavy RestrictionsCode of Doña Ana County § 287-6(B)(1), (B)(2)
A fine of up to $1,000 may be assessed against any person who discards or disposes of refuse, litter or garbage on public or private property in any manner other than by disposing of it in an authorized landfill or other disposal facility; and A fine of up to $5,000 may be assessed against any person for the improper or illegal disposal of hazardous materials or waste in any manner other than a...
Dumpster Rules
Construction sites in unincorporated Doña Ana County must contain debris in approved roll-off or overhead-dump containers under § 287-5. Lids stay closed except while loading, and every required container must sit within 200 feet of the construction site it serves.
Doña Ana County Roll-Off Dumpster Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsCode of Doña Ana County § 287-5(B)(1)(a)[1], (B)(2), (B)(4)
Open-top containers, commonly referred to as "roll-off containers," to be used for construction waste not capable of readily becoming windborne and acceptable for limited amounts of heavy items such as earth, bricks, concrete, and shingles. ... Containers having lids shall be kept closed at all times except when containers are being filled or emptied. ... Required containers shall be located no...
Collection Schedule
Every residence and business in unincorporated Doña Ana County must receive solid waste collection at least once a week. Section 287-4(B)(1) lets a private sanitation company collect more often if needed to keep a property free of waste, but weekly is the code's mandatory floor.
Doña Ana County Weekly Trash Collection Rule
Some RestrictionsCode of Doña Ana County § 287-4(B)(1)
Frequency of service. Solid waste collection services must be provided on at least a weekly basis, or more frequently if necessary to keep the premises free of solid waste consistent with the provisions of this article.
Recycling Rules
Doña Ana County has no mandatory curbside recycling program for the unincorporated area; the only County-level recycling rule is that single-stream recyclables dropped at a County convenience station are accepted free, waived from the normal per-load solid-waste fee under Section 179-43.
Doña Ana County Recycling Rules
Few RestrictionsDoña Ana County Code Section 179-43 (Ch. 287, Art. I cross-referenced)
All loads are subject to fees based on a rate of $4 per approximately 200 pounds or 1/2 cubic yard. Untarped or unsecured loads may be subject to a surcharge of $8. All clean green waste, single-stream recyclables, and household hazardous waste are accepted free of charge.
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