Albuquerque Dump Fees & Landfill Guide for Junk Removal Operators
Cerro Colorado Landfill rates NOT published — call (505) 761-8300. C&D at Southwest Landfill $37/ton + $10 env fee. Open 7 days.
Use the guidance with your local numbers.
Resource pages explain the planning model, but local disposal rates, labor costs, truck setup, service area, and customer demand still decide the final operating choice.
Typical disposal costs
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Facilities and transfer stations
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Restrictions and paperwork
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Cost-saving playbook
Albuquerque's unpublished MSW rate at Cerro Colorado means most operators are guessing at their disposal costs — and guessing wrong. ScaleYourJunk logs dump fees per job automatically so you can track your actual cost at Cerro Colorado and Southwest Landfill, compare them, and know exactly when separating C&D saves money versus sending everything to the MSW landfill.
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Cerro Colorado Landfill — the only MSW facility in the Albuquerque metro — does NOT publish per-ton tipping fees online. Operators must call (505) 761-8300 for current pricing. Southwest Landfill charges $37 per ton for compactable C&D plus a $10 per-load environmental fee plus NM Gross Receipts Tax (~7.875%), but accepts construction and demolition debris only. City convenience centers charge a flat $5.25 per load for small vehicles (2-ton limit). Payment at Cerro Colorado: cash, check, Visa, MC, AmEx, Discover.
Southwest Landfill at 5816 Pajarito Road SW charges $37 per ton for compactable C&D plus a $10 per-load environmental fee and NM GRT. Non-compactable C&D costs $70 per ton. This is the only dedicated C&D facility in the metro. Does NOT accept household trash, furniture, or tires — loads must be pure C&D. For clean fill (broken concrete, brick, rock, uncontaminated soil), NM regulation 20.9.2.7.C(4) exempts this material from landfill disposal entirely — find a contractor who needs fill.
Yes — Cerro Colorado Landfill is open 7 days a week from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including Sundays. All three city convenience centers (Eagle Rock, Montessa Park, Don Reservoir) are also open 7 days from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Southwest Landfill has seasonal hours — call (505) 242-2020 to confirm Sunday availability. The 7-day access at Cerro Colorado is a significant scheduling advantage over most metros.
Three separate registrations are required. First, an NMED Commercial Hauler Registration at the state level (5-year term, requires vehicle descriptions and disposal destinations — contact (505) 827-0197). Second, a City of Albuquerque Hauling Permit at $12 for the first vehicle and $3 each additional, renewed annually. Third, a City Business License at $35 per year. Scrap tire haulers need an additional NMED surety bond up to $10,000 and state-approved manifests for every tire load.
No — Southwest Landfill is strictly C&D only. It does NOT accept household trash, furniture, tires, or burnt trash/ashes. Any household items mixed into a C&D load will result in the load being rejected at the gate. This is the most common mistake operators make in the ABQ market. Separate C&D from household junk before loading — route household waste to Cerro Colorado Landfill and pure C&D to Southwest Landfill for the lower $37 per ton rate.
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Unpublished Rates + Wind Closures = Plan With Data
ScaleYourJunk logs disposal costs per job so you know your actual Cerro Colorado rate — and whether separating C&D for Southwest Landfill saves money on each job type.