Two bills have been introduced to study and incentivize composting statewide. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive action alerts as these bills advance.
SB 46 EXPLORE DIVERSION OF ORGANIC WASTE
Sponsored by Senator Campos
SB 46 EXPLORE DIVERSION OF ORGANIC WASTE is asking for $130,000 in funding for a “boots on the ground” audit of New Mexico’s municipal solid waste to learn how much organic waste (food scraps and green waste, etc.) we have in the solid waste stream, and to learn the overall composition of our trash.
Key Points of SB 46
- This study, including the necessary field work, provides a direct sampling of waste at landfills and transfer stations across New Mexico.
- Organic Waste Assessment: Quantifying food waste, yard waste, and paper products that are currently being landfilled.
- Pollution Analysis: Determining the environmental impact of current disposal methods.
- Economic Impacts: Analyzing the economic potential of diverting waste through composting or recycling, compared to the cost of landfilling.
Why This Study Matters
- Reducing Landfill Pollution: Organic waste in landfills produces methane and leachate, leading to contamination of soil and water, and air pollution.
- Data from the study will help the New Mexico Environment Department design better, more efficient waste management solutions.
- Economic Opportunity: Identifying valuable materials in the waste stream spurs creation of local recycling and composting businesses.
- Supports New Mexico’s overall goals for improving sustainability and protecting public health.
Expected Outcomes
- A comprehensive, baseline report detailing the composition of New Mexico’s waste.
- Actionable recommendations on waste reduction and diversion policies.
- Information to help local governments reduce landfill fees and environmental liabilities.
Background
SB 46 EXPLORE DIVERSION OF ORGANIC WASTE follows up on a bill introduced by Senator Campos during the 2024 legislative session. While that bill was tabled, one of its primary objectives has since been realized: the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) commissioned a study focusing on the state of composting in New Mexico.
A key finding coming out of this study was that New Mexico has insufficient data about the materials currently in the state’s waste streams and landfills, which is important information needed to estimate the quanitity and location of organic waste. The final report recommended to conduct a comprehensive Waste Characterization Study, which is what SB 46 is now asking for.
Read the report Compost Generation and Use in New Mexico: A study commissioned by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Soil Program.
SB 46 COMMISSIONING A STATEWIDE WASTE CHARACTERIZATION STUDY passed the Senate Conservation Committee with a 8-1 vote
thanks to the engagement of supporters like you!
SB 47 FOOD RECOVERY & COMPOSTING ACT
Sponsored by Senators Campos and Stefanics
For just a few dollars a year per adult, we can reduce pollution, lower long-term trash related costs, support agriculture, and make our communities healthier. Few public policy ideas offer that kind of return. Composting organic waste is one of them.
Senator Pete Campos
Key Points of SB 47
- Issuing a state surcharge on solid waste disposal as 34 other states already do, including Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska, costing less than $3.50 per adult annually;
- Generating about $5 million every year for NMED’s RAID grant program, funding composting projects at solid waste authorities, tribes, Pueblos and Nations, counties, municipalities, and other entities;
- Advancing a suite of resource recovery initiatives including composting, food waste prevention and organic waste reduction across New Mexico.
Benefits of Passing SB 47
- Helps reduce hunger through food recovery efforts that keep nutritious food out of the trash and gets it to people who need it.
- Creates jobs and grows local businesses by greatly expanding grant funding to recycle organic waste and modernize solid waste facilities.
- Restores the land by accelerating on-farm composting and compost application to regenerate the soil.
- Saves water by expanding compost use, which helps soil absorb and hold more moisture.
- Supports farmers in growing more nutritious food in compost-rich soils, replacing toxic inputs.
- Reduces waste statewide and brings down cost in the long run by investing in regenerative waste management solutions.
- Significantly reduces pollution (soil and water contamination, GHG emissions and air pollution) by keeping organic waste out of landfills.
SB 47 FOOD RECOVERY & COMPOSTING ACT will be heard
Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 9:00 AM (first agenda item)
in the Senate Conservation Committee
Ways to support SB 47 FOOD RECOVERY & COMPOSTING ACT
• Attend the hearing in person and speak in support of SB 47:
Location: Room 311 in the Roundhouse in Santa Fe
• Join the meeting on Zoom to voice your support of SB 47:
Zoom Webinar Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82404382748
Webinar ID: 824 0438 2748
Zoom Call: 1 669 900 9128
• Contact Senate Conservation Committee members in advance of the meeting:
| Senator | District | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth “Liz” Stefanics | 39 | Chair |
| Antoinette Sedillo Lopez | 16 | Vice Chair |
| Candy Spence Ezzell | 32 | Ranking Member |
| Joseph Cervantes | 31 | Member |
| Angel M. Charley | 30 | Member |
| Carrie Hamblen | 38 | Member |
| Micaelita Debbie O’Malley | 13 | Member |
| Larry R. Scott | 42 | Member |
| Anthony L. Thornton | 19 | Member |
Subscribe to our mailing list to receive action alerts as these bills advance.
Composting at Earth L.A.W.S. farm in Taos. Photo by Isabelle Jenniches CC BY 4.0
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