In New Mexico’s short legislative session of 2026, the Healthy Soil Working Group took the lead –with help from key stakeholders– on designing and advocating for two bills introduced by Senator Campos to study and incentivize composting statewide.
SB 46 EXPLORE DIVERSION OF ORGANIC WASTE asked for $130,000 in funding for a “boots on the ground” audit to learn about the overall composition of our trash and how much organic materials we have in the solid waste stream.
The bill passed the Senate Conservation Committee with a 8-1 vote, but did not advance any further given the short timeframe of the session. However, an appropriation relating to this bill (SB46) was included in the budget bill (HB2) and approved in the amount of $130,000, which is excellent news!
With this funding, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) will commission a waste characterization study to determine the amount of organic material in the waste stream (including food scraps and green waste like yard trimmings).
Burying organic materials in our landfills is bad for public health, the environment and our economy. It can cause soil and water contamination, air pollution and climate harming methane emissions while shrinking the lifespan of our solid waste facilities. If left unresolved, the cost to the people of New Mexico is high and self-defeating. On the other hand, when we proactively meet these challenges, the costs are quite manageable and the benefits are many, including reducing hunger and improving soil health in our state.
Investing in a waste characterization study will provide critical information, including actionable pathways for NM communities to develop composting, food recovery and circular economy solutions.
Here is the language that the approved appropriation in HB2 calls for:
One hundred thirty thousand dollars ($130,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the department of environment for expenditure in fiscal year 2027 to explore pollution reduction and cost-saving opportunities resulting from the diversion of organic waste from the solid waste stream and to conduct a waste characterization study to assess the current types and quantities of solid waste, organic waste and composting feed stock produced and disposed of in the state. The department of environment shall submit a report detailing the department’s findings to the appropriate legislative interim committee dealing with the environment before June 30, 2027. Any unexpended balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2027 shall revert to the general fund.
A second bill, the FOOD RECOVERY & COMPOSTING ACT (SB47/HB319), unfortunately did not get approved in the 2026 legislative session. This bill would have established a nominal surcharge on solid waste disposal to provide significant funding for statewide composting projects, food recovery programs and other ways to reduce organics in the waste-stream.
While SB47 was tabled in the conservation committee, we did receive valuable feedback from legislators and stakeholders on this bill, making it much stronger; and we enlisted many supporters.
Overall, we made meaningful progress and laid the groundwork for more composting action in the next legislative session.
We want to thank all of you who sent letters of support, spoke up at the hearings, all the stakeholders, our lead sponsor and champion Senator Pete Campos, our co-sponsors Senator Liz Stefanics and Representative Kristina Ortez, NMED Secretary Kenney and Resource Recovery Bureau Chief Shirlene Sitton, as well as the Governor and her team including Deputy Secretary Kendal Chavez.
If you want to help us prepare for the next legislative session (which begins January 2027) join the movement by recruiting more statewide partners, especially rural communities, NM businesses, agriculture, conservation and other NGOs, cities and counties, pueblos, tribes and nations, acequias and land grants and others throughout the state who together stand to benefit from increased grant funding, education and grassroots action for composting.
Read the Op-Ed by Senator Pete Campos describing the value and purpose of this legislation.
See the Fact Sheet for the composting legislation (SB47 / HB319) which summarizes the many benefits of composting and food recovery.
If you want to get involved or get more information contact Robb Hirsch, the co-founder of the NM Healthy Soil Working Group, at robb@takeresponsibility.us
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