Bernalillo County, NM Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Set-out window
- 5 p.m. day before to 7 a.m. pickup
- Container removal
- By 7:00 p.m. collection day
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
- Administered by
- County Manager / Solid Waste Program
- Max container weight
- 150 pounds when full
Summary
Bernalillo County runs mandatory roadside trash collection in designated unincorporated service areas. Residents must set containers out no sooner than 5:00 p.m. the evening before pickup and no later than 7:00 a.m. on collection day, then pull them back in by 7:00 p.m.
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 5:00 p.m. the evening prior to collection, unless otherwise specified by the county manager. Solid waste containers shall be removed by 7:00 p.m. on the day of collection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
Under the county's solid waste article, all solid waste generated in the county must be collected by the county or its authorized contractor except where an owner personally hauls it (Sec. 70-35). Where the board of county commissioners has designated a mandatory service area, roadside residential waste must be placed out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the evening before the scheduled day and no later than 7:00 a.m. that day, set close to the roadway and clear of obstructions, then containers must be removed by 7:00 p.m. the same day (Sec. 70-36(f)). This governs only the unincorporated county. Albuquerque, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and Tijeras run their own collection programs.
Violations & Fines
Containers left out past 7:00 p.m. or set out before the 5:00 p.m. window, or not conforming to the container rules, can have collection denied by the county manager; residents must then store the waste until the next regular pickup or haul it to an approved disposal facility themselves (Sec. 70-36(f)(5)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this schedule apply if I live in Albuquerque?
What if I miss the set-out window?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.