Old newspapers can be taken to the Gallup Independent at 500 N. Ninth St. anytime before 6:30 p.m. These items are accepted at the back of the building. Used oil, which is very detrimental to the environment, can be recycled at no cost by Jiffy Lube service centers. There are two locations in Gallup: 206 Nizhoni Blvd. or 1117 N. U.S. Hwy. 666. Most area auto parts stores can recycle other automobile parts, such as used car batteries.

The City Solid Waste Department Transfer Station, located just east of the city on Hasler Valley Road, recycles corrugated cardboard and old appliances, such as refrigerators and stoves. Riley Johnson, operator/manager of the Transfer Station, says that last year they recycled 500 tons of cardboard and 320 tons of appliances.

The problem with recycling, Johnson explains, is ³in order to recycle, there has to be bulk.² There simply are not enough items to recycle in a small community like Gallup. Another problem is hygiene. Recycled glass and plastic have to be rinsed clean and all labels must be removed. If there is even one unclean container found in a batch, the entire batch is rejected as ³contaminated.²