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Southwest Landfill is the big municipal landfill on the west side of Albuquerque that handles the area's final burial of trash. Neighbors, contractors and small haulers all use it when curbside pickup won’t take a load. It sits off Escarpment Road and looks like the classic large dirt-and-gravel site you’d expect outside the city.
Drive up a short access road to a gate house and a scale - most users stop to be weighed because tipping fees are generally charged by weight or by load. Pull forward to the drop-off zone where piles of mixed debris and compacted mounds of landfill are visible; expect dust, gravel, and a lot of heavy equipment working nearby. Commercial trucks are commonly seen, so lanes can be wide and traffic can move in batches rather than a steady trickle.
Facility Information
Before You Go
- Secure tarps and tie down loads before pulling onto Escarpment Road - wind on the mesa can blow loose material off trailers and lead to extra hassle.
- Bring a photo ID and any required paperwork for commercial loads; paperwork checks and scale tickets are typical at landfills.
- Avoid weekend mid-mornings during neighborhood cleanups if possible - lines and wait times tend to spike then, so arriving earlier or later on a weekday eases the process.
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Disposal Guides
Learn how to properly dispose of common items.
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