Silver City Recycling Committee Aims to Cut Landfill Costs

New advisory group looks to divert waste and save the town money

Mar. 25, 2026 at 1:00am

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The newly formed Reuse and Recycle Committee in Silver City, New Mexico held its first meeting, establishing the goal of finding ways to save the town money by diverting material from the local landfill. The committee discussed options like the town taking over recycling operations or forming a public-private partnership, as well as focusing on reducing organic waste through composting initiatives.

Why it matters

Silver City currently spends around $200,000 per month on solid waste disposal, including landfill fees. By finding ways to reduce the waste stream, the town could potentially save significant money. Diverting organic waste like food and yard waste could have the biggest impact, as those materials make up around 50% of the landfill volume.

The details

The Reuse and Recycle Committee was established by the Silver City Town Council in February 2026 and currently has three official members - David Stone, Chris Lemme, and Stuart Egnal. The group discussed analyzing the town's waste disposal revenue stream to identify opportunities to reduce costs by removing volume and weight from the landfill. Egnal, who runs a local recycling company, expressed interest in the town taking over recycling operations or forming a public-private partnership. The committee also discussed the potential to reduce other environmental impacts beyond just cost savings, such as carbon emissions and methane generation.

  • The Reuse and Recycle Committee held its first meeting on Friday, March 24, 2026.
  • The committee plans to meet again this Friday to select officers, decide on meeting frequency, and finalize a problem statement.
  • The committee voted to have members Lemme and Stone appear before the Town Council on April 14, 2026 to recommend applying for a state recycling grant.

The players

Reuse and Recycle Committee

A new advisory committee established by the Silver City Town Council in February 2026 to develop recommendations for reuse and recycling programs.

David Stone

President of Silver City Recycles, a nonprofit that operated a monthly collection site in town until August.

Chris Lemme

Founder of Silver City Recycles, a nonprofit focused on recycling and waste reduction.

Stuart Egnal

One of the founders of Trash 2 Treasure, a local recycling company that offers curbside collection.

Corrine Lambden

A community member who lives outside of town limits but uses the Silver City landfill.

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What they’re saying

“The town pays dollars per ton to landfill material. I think our goal should be to analyze that revenue stream, and figure out how we might spend the money more efficiently by removing volume and weight from the material we are paying to landfill.”

— Stuart Egnal, Committee Member

“I would love to see recycling be brought under public auspices. I would like to see town employees working in a town facility, extracting valuable commodities out of our waste stream rather than paying to landfill them. I would love to put myself out of a job.”

— Stuart Egnal, Committee Member

“The biggest bang for the buck, in terms of diversion from a landfill, is unequivocally green waste, food waste and other organics — 52 percent, thereabouts, in terms of landfill volume.”

— David Stone, Committee Member

What’s next

The committee plans to meet again this Friday to select officers, decide on meeting frequency, and finalize a problem statement to help solidify the committee's goals. The committee also voted to have members Lemme and Stone appear before the Town Council on April 14, 2026 to recommend the town apply for a grant from the New Mexico Environment Department's Recycling and Illegal Dumping Fund.

The takeaway

By focusing on reducing organic waste through composting and exploring options like the town taking over recycling operations, the Reuse and Recycle Committee in Silver City aims to find cost-effective ways to divert material from the local landfill and save the town money on its $200,000 monthly solid waste disposal costs.