Trash & Recycling in Valencia County, NM (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated Valencia County, New Mexico.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Before a hauler picks up your cart in unincorporated Valencia County, Code § 50.16 sets baseline preparation and condition rules: garbage must be free of liquids, containers must stay in good repair, and hot ashes need 24 hours to cool before they go out, or collection can be refused.
Valencia County Trash Pre-Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsValencia County Code § 50.16(B)-(D)
(B) Preparation of solid waste. All garbage shall be free of liquids before being placed in garbage containers for collection. (C) Duty to maintain containers in sanitary condition. Solid waste containers shall be maintained in good condition. Any container that does not conform to the provisions of this chapter shall be promptly replaced or collection may be denied. (D) Collection of ashes and...
Bin Placement Rules
Residential trash carts in unincorporated Valencia County can't go to the curb before 6:00 p.m. the evening before pickup and must be back off the street by 7:00 a.m. the same day under Code § 50.16(F)(2). Carts also have to sit close to the roadway, clear of vehicles, fences and shrubbery.
Valencia County Trash Cart Set-Out Rules
Some RestrictionsValencia County Code § 50.16(F)(2)-(3)
(2) Residential solid waste, when served by roadside collection, shall be placed out for collection no later than 7:00 a.m. on the regularly scheduled day, but no sooner than 6:00 p.m. the evening prior to collection, unless otherwise specified by the County Manager. (3) Residential solid waste, when served by roadside collection, shall be placed as close to the roadway as possible and in a loc...
Recycling Requirements
Unincorporated Valencia County's solid waste code lets the County Manager require households and businesses to keep recyclable materials in separate containers from garbage and ashes. Section 50.16(A) authorizes, rather than automatically mandates, curbside separation, so the actual sorting requirement takes effect only once the County Manager directs it for a service area.
Valencia County Recyclables Separation Rule
Light RestrictionsValencia County Code §§ 50.05, 50.16(A)
RECYCLABLE MATERIALS. Materials that would otherwise become solid waste if not recycled, and that can be collected, separated or processed and placed in use in the form of raw materials, products or densified, solid waste-derived fuels. ... (A) Separation of solid waste. Garbage, ashes, recyclable materials, and other materials as directed, shall each be placed and maintained in separate contai...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping solid waste, litter, or construction and demolition debris on roads, streets, alleys, or public or private property is unlawful in unincorporated Valencia County under Code § 50.07(B). The County Manager, a Code Enforcement Officer, or a Sheriff's deputy can inspect, order cleanup within 10 to 30 days, and violators face a misdemeanor charge, up to 90 days in jail, and fines reaching $1,000 for ordinary waste or $5,000 for hazardous waste.
Illegal Dumping Ban in Valencia County
Heavy RestrictionsValencia County Code §§ 50.07(B), 50.99(C)(1)
(B) No person shall throw, place, dump or dispose of any solid waste, litter, or construction and demolition debris on any road, street, gutter, sidewalk or alley, or on any public property or another's private property. ... It shall be a violation of this chapter ... for any person, firm or corporation to neglect, refuse to comply with, or resist the enforcement of any provision thereof. Vio...
Yard Waste Collection
Unincorporated Valencia County bars grass clippings, tree trimmings, pine needles, leaves and cut weeds from solid waste containers under Code § 50.10(B). Residents must compost or dispose of yard waste on-site, haul it to an approved solid waste facility, or follow other applicable law, all at their own expense; burning it requires a Fire Marshal permit.
Valencia County Yard Waste Cart Ban
Some RestrictionsValencia County Code §§ 50.08(F), 50.10(B)
(F) No garbage, solid waste, or debris shall be burned within the county. Fire permits may be obtained from the County Fire Marshal's office for certain types of yard refuse. ... (B) No yard waste, including grass and tree clippings, pine needles, leaves and cut weeds, shall be placed in solid waste containers. Such waste shall be disposed on the site on which it is generated, or in an approved...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial dumpsters and roll-off containers of three cubic yards or larger, defined as COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION under § 50.05, trigger a County Manager site-plan review under § 50.18 before they can be placed in unincorporated Valencia County. The plan must show lot lines, structures, and a sight shield screening the container from any public street, and fees apply for review and any variance.
Valencia County Commercial Dumpster Siting Rules
Significant RestrictionsValencia County Code §§ 50.05, 50.18(A)
COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION. ... All solid waste collection from business establishments and multiple-family dwellings with containers that are three cubic yards or larger, and any collection in a front-end loader container or dumpster. ... (A) Appearance of collection points. At every commercial collection point within 80 feet of a public street, solid waste containers shall be properly ...
Collection Schedule
Unincorporated Valencia County requires the franchise hauler to collect residential and commercial solid waste at least once a week under Code § 50.24, and bars refusing service except for nonpayment. Section 50.15(B) makes clear that even a resident who self-hauls waste still owes the county's collection fees.
Valencia County Weekly Trash Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsValencia County Code §§ 50.15(B), 50.24
(B) Handling of solid waste by others. Division (A) of this section shall not prohibit the actual producers of solid waste, or the owners of premises upon which solid waste has accumulated, from personally collecting, conveying and disposing of such solid waste. The producers or owners shall comply with the provisions herein, and with any other governing law or articles, that regulate the dispo...
Recycling Rules
In unincorporated Valencia County, recyclables set out for collection belong to the hauler, not to passersby. Section 50.08(A) requires solid waste and recyclables to be stored properly on the premises or in county-approved containers at a convenience station, and § 50.99(B) makes it a violation to remove recyclable material already deposited for collection.
Valencia County Recyclables Storage and Anti-Scavenging Rule
Some RestrictionsValencia County Code §§ 50.08(A), 50.99(B)
(A) Solid waste and recyclables are to be properly stored on the premises where they are generated, shall be placed and maintained in county-approved containers at a Valencia County Convenience Station, or other refuse and solid waste disposal facility(ies) franchised, licensed and/or permitted in conformance with applicable state law, state regulations, and this chapter. ... (B) It shall be a ...
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