Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency

What Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency does

The Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency (SFSWMA) is a public Joint Powers Agency formed by intergovernmental agreement between the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County in New Mexico, founded in 1995 and operating under Ordinance 2021-1. It runs two core facilities: the Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station (BuRRT), a one-stop drop accepting trash, recycling, green waste, electronics, scrap metal, tires, and household hazardous waste (open seven days a week with HHW accepted Fridays and Saturdays), and the Caja del Rio Landfill, a permitted municipal solid waste landfill that handles approximately 150,000 tons per year with Cell 6B providing five years of disposal capacity plus an approved 10-year vertical expansion. The agency is supported by seven Santa Fe County convenience centers and the City of Santa Fe Environmental Services Division for residential curbside collection.

Revenue is generated through tiered transaction-based tipping, transfer, and recycling fees. Landfill tipping ranges from $52.50 to $62.50 per ton (with $92.50 for immediate burial), BuRRT transfer fees are structured by vehicle weight from $8.50 to $14.50 per load, and recycling streams carry rates from $15.00/ton (scrap metal) up to $250.00/ton (scrap tires), with drop-off recycling offered at no charge. The City separately bills residents $16.54/month for curbside service. Specialized programming includes a household hazardous waste collection center, electronics recycling, green waste composting operated by partner Payne's Organic Soil Yard, and food waste diversion in partnership with Reunity Resources, which keeps 1.4 million pounds of organic material out of the landfill annually.

Service is restricted to Santa Fe County residents and businesses; out-of-county waste is not accepted. Operations are overseen by a Joint Powers Board, regulated by the New Mexico Environment Department (currently in a 2025 Midterm Permit Review), and supported by sole-source equipment service agreements with Morbark, Andela Products, CP Manufacturing, Bandit Industries, and Van Dyk Baler Corp. The agency complements its core disposal and recycling operations with community-facing programs including a Talkn Trash podcast, facility tours, school education (over 8,250 children trained), and participation in the EPA Food Recovery Challenge.

Name

Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency

Legal name

Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency

Website

https://www.sfswma.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency is a public Joint Powers entity formed by the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County that operates the BuRRT transfer station and Caja del Rio Landfill, serving County residents and businesses with solid waste disposal, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solid Waste Management and Recycling Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Collection (56211), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Other Waste Collection (562119)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Solid Waste Collection (Residential/Commercial) (IMAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Waste Transfer Stations & Material Consolidation (IMAIAFAC), Solid Waste & Recycling Services Administration (BPAIACAH), Hazardous & Special Waste Transfer Stations (Household Hazardous Waste, Industrial Special Wastes) (EUAIABAE), Recycling & E-Waste Collection/Hauling (HSAKALAJ)

Keywords

• Solid waste management
• Landfill operations
• Recycling services
• Household hazardous waste
• Green waste composting

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tipping and Disposal Fees: Fees charged for waste disposal at Caja del Rio Landfill and transfer services at BuRRT based on vehicle weight and waste type. Commercial accounts pay different rates than cash customers.
2. Recycling Service Fees: Fees charged for processing various recyclables including green waste, electronic waste, household hazardous waste, scrap tires, scrap metal, and glass at specified per-ton or per-unit rates.
3. Curbside Collection Fees: City of Santa Fe Environmental Services charges residential customers $16.54 per month for basic curbside service included in utility bills.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SFSWMA operates two primary facilities — the Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station (BuRRT) and the Caja del Rio Landfill — providing solid waste disposal, recycling, green waste composting, household hazardous waste collection, and electronic waste recycling services to Santa Fe County residents and businesses. The agency supplements these facilities with curbside collection coordination, business and school recycling programs, mulch production and sales, public education, facility tours, and community outreach such as the Talkn Trash podcast.

Product overview

The Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency (SFSWMA) operates two primary facilities as its core services: the Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station (BuRRT) and the Caja del Rio Landfill. BuRRT serves as a one-stop center for recycling, green waste, e-waste, household hazardous waste (HHW), and trash transfer. The Caja del Rio Landfill accepts various waste streams for disposal. The agency supplements these core operations with specialized programs including an HHW Collection Center (open Fridays and Saturdays), electronics recycling, green waste composting with mulch sales, business and school recycling programs, a livestream camera for wait time visibility, a podcast called Talkn Trash, and facility tours. The agency works collaboratively with the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County through its Joint Powers Board to provide waste management services to the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station (BuRRT): Santa Fe's one-stop drop for safe and proper disposal of recycling, green waste, e-waste, household hazardous waste, and trash.
• Caja del Rio Landfill

Products and services

• Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station (BuRRT) One-stop recycling and transfer facility accepting household hazardous waste, green waste, e-waste, scrap metal, tires, and trash from Santa Fe residents and businesses. Open Monday-Sunday 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. with HHW collection on Fridays and Saturdays only.
• Caja del Rio Landfill Landfill facility accepting solid waste, industrial solid waste, petroleum contaminated soil, sludge, and special wastes from Santa Fe County residents and commercial accounts. Features Cell 6B construction with geosynthetic liner system and vertical expansion potential.
• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Center Dedicated facility at BuRRT for collecting household hazardous waste including antifreeze, batteries, chemicals, fluorescent lights, medical waste, motor oil, and paints. Open Fridays and Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• Electronics (E-Waste) Recycling Program for recycling electronic waste including cell phones, computers, large appliances, small appliances, office electronics, portable electronics, TVs, and computer monitors. E-waste is banned from the Caja del Rio Landfill.
• Green Waste Composting and Mulch Production Green waste recycling through grinding at BuRRT and composting at Caja del Rio. Products include mulch (free pickup under 1 cubic yard, $6.00 per cubic yard for staff loading) and compost sold through partner Payne's Organic Soil Yard (POSY).
• Business and School Recycling Programs Waste assessment services for businesses and schools, including waste audits, educational materials, signage for recycling containers, and assistance right-sizing trash and recycling containers.
• Residential Curbside Trash and Recycling Collection Monthly residential curbside collection service coordinated through City of Santa Fe Environmental Services. Subscription fee of $16.54 per month included in City utility bill, providing one 65- or 95-gallon green trash cart and one 65-gallon blue recycling cart.
• Large Item Pickup Service Large item and bulk waste pickup service priced at $33.33 for 8 cubic yards or less and $4.17 for each additional cubic yard.
• Facility Tours Guided educational tours of BuRRT and Caja del Rio Landfill offered Tuesdays and Thursdays with two-week advance scheduling, covering the Convenience Center, Green Waste area, HHW building, Tipping Floor, E-Waste area, and Glass Crushing area for groups of up to 20-25 participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Diverts significant waste from landfill through recycling and composting programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reunity ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern New Mexico-based 501c3 social enterprise with zero waste mission. Partners with Santa Fe Public Schools training over 8,250 children at a dozen elementary schools in cafeteria compost separation. Their BioFuel Collective collects used cooking oil from local restaurants and recycles it into ASTM-certified biodiesel. Compost program diverts 1.4 million pounds of food waste annually from local landfill.
• Payne's Nurseries and Greenhouses / Payne's Organic Soil Yard (POSY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected in 2015 through competitive RFP process to operate the registered compost facility at Caja del Rio Landfill. Manages composting operations mixing green waste, food waste, manure, cardboard, and paper for 14 months. Purchase all Agency's mulch production.
• EPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency participates in EPA Food Recovery Challenge and aligns with EPA sustainable food management guidelines and food recovery hierarchy.
• New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory oversight through Resource Recovery Bureau. Joint certification courses for landfill and transfer station operators offered through NMED partnership with SWANA Roadrunner Chapter.
• Joint Powers BoardcoreOthersGoverning body comprising representatives from City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County. Approves free days calendar, fees, ordinances, and policy decisions for the Agency.
• City of Santa Fe Environmental Services DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages residential and commercial curbside trash and recycling collection for City residents. Collaborates with Agency on education and outreach programs.
• Santa Fe County Solid Waste & Recycling DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates 7 solid waste transfer stations around the County (Eldorado, Jacona, La Cienega, Nambe, San Marcos, Stanley, Tesuque) accepting residential trash, recycling, green waste and tires.
• Santa Fe Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency provides education and outreach to schools on waste reduction and recycling. Schools participate in food waste collection programs.
• Railyard Park ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on community composting efforts and youth education programs including Global Warming Express.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management Inc. The largest publicly traded solid waste services company in North America, providing collection, transfer, recycling, and landfill disposal — overlapping with SFSWMA across the full value chain but at national scale rather than single-county municipal.
• Republic Services: Second-largest US solid waste company offering municipal solid waste collection, transfer, recycling, and landfill disposal — directly comparable service mix to SFSWMA but operating as a publicly traded national incumbent.
• Waste Connections: Third-largest North American solid waste services provider with rural and suburban market focus; operates transfer stations and landfills comparable to BuRRT and Caja del Rio at multi-state scale.
• Clean Harbors: Largest North American provider of environmental and hazardous waste services — comparable to SFSWMA's household hazardous waste collection center operation but at a national industrial scale.
• Stericycle: Specialized waste management company focused on regulated waste streams including medical waste and hazardous materials — comparable to SFSWMA's HHW and medical waste collection programs.

Direct peers

• Recology: Employee-owned solid waste and recycling company headquartered in San Francisco that serves municipal contracts with collection, composting, and diversion programs — the closest private-sector analog to SFSWMA's municipal governance and zero-waste mission.
• Casella Waste Systems: Regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management operator serving municipalities and commercial customers in the northeastern US — comparable integrated collection, transfer, and disposal business model.
• GFL Environmental: Canadian-based diversified environmental services company with solid waste, recycling, and organics operations across North America — comparable to SFSWMA's integrated municipal-style service offerings.

Others

• SCS Engineers: Environmental engineering and consulting firm specializing in solid waste management, landfill design, and permitting — a comparable technical peer given SFSWMA's engineering-intensive landfill operations and Cell 6B construction.

Emerging players

• Reunity Resources: Santa Fe-based 501c3 social enterprise partnering with SFSWMA on food waste diversion, composting, and biodiesel production — directly comparable mission and operating territory, though a non-profit complement rather than competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-fe-solid-waste-management-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency