Introduction
I have a long history of having questionable stuff that I want to get rid of. From excess fireworks after an underwhelming Fourth of July to chemicals that might be a bit dangerous but were 100% legal, to old computery stuff. During this process I have become accustomed to the way ABQ treats hazardous waste.
The first place you should look at is ACT because they take a bunch of things. If ACT doesn’t take it then you’re gonna have to go down to the huge list of different places that all take one type of thing.
ACT
Address: 6137 Edith NE
Open: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
ACT stands for Advanced Chemical Transport and it deals with most common household hazardous waste. Below is a non-authoritative list of what they will take for your convenience. Double check that website to see precisely what ACT will and will not take. Or call them. Honestly get comfortable calling places cause their websites are often unhelpful.
They accept
- Artist Oils and Acrylics
- Chemistry Sets
- Gun Cleaning Solvents
- Photo Chemicals
- Flashlights and Toy Batteries
- Oil Based Paints
- Primers, Rusts, Stains, Varnishes
- Wood Preservatives
- Latex Paints
- Paint Thinner
- Turpentine
- Paintbrush Cleaner (solvent base, not phosphate based)
- Paint, Varnish, Stripper (solvent based, not lye based)
- Dry Cleaning Fluid, Spot Remover
- Upholstery Cleaner (solvent based)
- Mothballs
- Floor, Furniture Polish
- Fertilizer
- Fungicides, Insecticides, Rat Poison
- Roach Killer
- Weed Killer
- Florescent bulb
They do not accept
- Explosives or ammunition
- Compressed gases
- Radioactive waste
- Biomedical waste
- Business generated waste
- Non-hazardous waste
- Prescription medicine
- Electronics/ E-waste
- Appliances
- Tires
- Smoke detector
- Propane tank
For Everything Else
When I went to ACT and tried to give them shit they didn’t take they gave me a list of alternative places that I recreated below.
| Hazardous Material | Name | Location | Phone number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos | Keers | 847-2917 | ||
| Explosives and Ammo | Bomb Squad | 768-2220 | ||
| Computers | Albuquerque Recycling Inc. | 3726 Hawkins St. NE | 990-3732 | There are some restriction on what can be recycled. Contact them for full details. |
| Computers | Sandia Computers | 3625 Wyoming NE | 332-7777 | |
| Computers | Computer Recyclers | 5445 edith Blvd St | 401-6911 | “will accept anything with a cord except microwaves and TV’s” |
| TV’s | Albuquerque Recycling Inc. | 3726 Hawkins St. NE | 990-3732 | There are some restriction on what can be recycled. Contact them for full details. |
| Small appliances | Albuquerque Recycling Inc. | 3726 Hawkins St. NE | 990-3732 | There are some restriction on what can be recycled. Contact them for full details. |
| Small appliances | Computer Recyclers | 5445 edith Blvd St | 401-6911 | “will accept anything with a cord except microwaves and TV’s” |
| Gas Cylinders | Ortegas Propane | 3914 2nd NW | 345-4910 | 20lb gas grill tanks only |
| Gas Cylinders | Pinnacle Propane | 6400 Edith NW | 389-2620 | 20lb gas grill tanks only |
| Fire Extinguishers | Aidant Fire | 8301 Washington Pl NE | 828-2895 | |
| Medicines | Stericycle | 1920 1st St NW | 247-9454 | |
| Medicines | Metropolitan Forensic Science Scenter | 5350 2nd St NW | 823-4200 | |
| Metals | Wise Recycling | 2240 Wyoming Blvd NE | 345-2405 | |
| Metals | Acme Iron & Metals | 6144 2nd St NW | 505-345-2457 | |
| Needles | Public Health Office | 2400 Wellesley Ave NE | 841-4100 | |
| Paper | Black Dog Shredding | 2800 Vassar Dr NE | 506-0020 | |
| Smoke Detectors | Curie | 4200 Vassar Dr NE | 888-9392 | |
| Tires | H&D Tire Shop and Disposal | 6430 Central SW | 836-0130 | |
| Refrigerators | PNM | 1-877-838-1139 |
If an area code isn’t specified then it’s 505.
Copy of Original Paper
Here is the original pdf that I built the above table on.