Gallup students urge mayor to reduce trash and boost recycling

Students at Gallup Middle School put Gallup’s trash problem in the mayor’s hands, literally, when Ciyllis Cole-Roy handed Mayor Jackie McKinney landscape photos of the city during a presentation on recycling and reducing litter. The moment tied a school project to a civic issue that affects neighborhoods, public spaces and the look of downtown streets every day.

The message came as the City of Gallup continues its annual cleanup campaign through the Solid Waste Division. City materials describe the effort as the 16th annual community cleanup, open to residential customers within city limits each spring and summer. Gallup also collects trash every day of the year except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, underscoring that waste service is not a one-day event but a year-round city function.

For residents who need a little extra help getting rid of bulky waste, the city provides three dump coupons per account each year. Each coupon is valued at $7 and can be used for disposal of up to 300 pounds at the transfer station at 107 Hassler Valley Road. The city says loose debris for cleanup pickup must be placed in tied bags, secured boxes or containers and set curbside by 8 a.m. on the designated day, a rule meant to keep trash from blowing back into yards, streets and school corridors.

Recycling options are also built into the local system. Gallup’s recycling information says residents can recycle at two city locations, at the Northwest New Mexico Solid Waste Authority transfer station on Hasler Valley Road, and through private and community organizations. The McKinley Citizens’ Recycling Council says it has worked on recycling in Gallup and McKinley County since 1989, giving the student-led message a longer local history and a broader base of community support.

McKinney has pointed to earlier cleanup efforts as proof that turnout can grow when the city organizes around the issue. A previous local report said he recalled the last major cleanup before the newer campaign was in 2012 and drew about 150 participants. That history gives this year’s school presentation added weight: Gallup’s cleanup and recycling effort is not just about appearance, but about whether city halls, schools and residents can keep public spaces cleaner together.