Written By: Victor Reta
In the bustling city center of Socorro, TX exists a small humble center aimed at giving back to Earth & collecting renewable materials who have the means to be changed for a different use: The City’s Recycling Center!
Located at the Y-intersection of Old Hueco Tanks & Moon Rd. the City’s Recycling Center sits in between the Chayo Apodaca Community Center and the Parks & Public Works Offices, this center currently operates 5- Days a week, and has dedicated staff available to help you with all your recycling or support needs. Antonio Perez Recycling Technician at the City’s Recycling Center has been employed with the City for over 10 years. He remembers the city seeing the need for responsible methods in decreasing our carbon footprint and creating opportunity for the community to do so as well.
The center runs under a drive up and dump type of operation. Community members must drive in and park in reverse to dump their recyclable material in the corresponding container. Any recyclables which contain liquids or food residue need to be emptied, rinsed, and dried before they can be received at the center to avoid contamination. Any material that is deemed contaminated cannot be recycled and is ultimately labeled a waste.
Each week a third-party contractor comes to pick up the deposits of recycled goods and hauls it to their storage facility to begin the breakdown of material so it can be milled down and turned into something else such as other plastic containers, recycled paper, and broken down into raw material. The City’s mission is to be a responsible consumer and leads by example to recycle our own used paper and products.
Currently the center accepts (The City does require all cardboard boxes to be clean & flattened prior to drop off! Any grease/food-stained items will not be accepted.):
- Kraft Paper/ Newspapers/ Magazines
- Cardboard/ Paperboard/ Chipboard
- Mail (Envelopes with windows)
- Phonebooks/ Stationary/ Folders/ Books
- Shoeboxes/ Dry unsoiled food and drink carriers
- Plastics with the recycle numbers 1 through Number 7 except Number 6
Materials which are not accepted include:
- Large Bulk Trash (Mattresses, TV’s, Junk Cars, Yard Clippings)
- Aluminum, Bi-Metal, Steel, Cans
- Glass
- Food Wrappers
- Batteries/Car Batteries/ Light Bulbs
- Carbon Paper
- Polystyrene (i.e. coffee cups, take out containers, foam packaging, and packing peanuts)
- Tires or Auto Parts
- Medical Waste or PPE
Items not accepted at the Recycling Center can be taken to the Clint Landfill- 2300 Darrington Rd.
El Paso, TX 79928 (915) 212-6000
Motor Oil Care!
The City of Socorro would like to remind all the community that anyone who is caught pouring automotive oil into gutters, drains, or anywhere else are not only committing a crime, but are poisoning our water system! Chemicals which are not properly disposed of run through our irrigation canals which lead to our food sources, and ultimately into the Rio Grande River. It can also harm or kill the animals and plants that use this water. The amount of oil involved in just one oil change has the potential to affect up to a million gallons of water. Recycle your motor oil instead!
Take your used motor oil to one of the following oil recycling locations in Socorro:
- AutoZone Auto Parts – 10497 Alameda Ave, Socorro, TX 79927 – (915) 859-4360
- O’Reilly Auto Parts – 10791 N Loop Dr, Socorro, TX 79927 – (915) 858-1066
- O’Reilly Auto Parts – 10495 Alameda Ave, Socorro, TX 79927 – (915) 790-0268
Address: 241 Old Hueco Tanks Rd.
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Office Phone Number: (915) 858-1114
