Increased construction projects across Eddy County contributed to an increase of trash tonnage at the Sandpoint Landfill east of Carlsbad, according to the executive director of the Keep Carlsbad Beautiful organization.
The landfill is a joint operation between the City of Carlsbad and Eddy County and trash collected from the City of Carlsbad, City of Artesia and Eddy County ends up at the landfill.
Data from the City of Carlsbad Sanitation Department indicated 27,000 tons of trash from the City of Carlsbad made its way to the landfill in June. That increased to 32,000 tons of trash in July and reached 36,000 tons at the end of August.
More:Carlsbad on pace to collect more trash this year than 2021. How is the city keeping up?
Carlsbad’s trash tonnage during the summer months was higher than Artesia’s and Eddy County’s, per the Sanitation Department.
Artesia’s trash tonnage increased from 11,000 in June to 15,000 by the end of August and solid waste collected from Eddy County increased from 14,000 tons in June to 20,000 tons at the end of last month, records.
“Construction projects are in full swing here in Eddy County, so we are seeing an overall rise in our tonnage collected here at the City of Carlsbad and our weights are lining up with that ebb and flow of those projects,” said Mary Garwood of Keep Carlsbad Beautiful.

Based on the summer numbers, the City of Carlsbad appeared on track to meet or exceed last year’s overall numbers of 48,000 tons.
Through March of this year, City crews brought in more than 13,000 tons to the Sandpoint Landfill.
Garwood said Carlsbad’s increased population would result in a growing amount of solid waste from now until the end of 2022 to be disposed of at the landfill.
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Garwood said Carlsbad residents had multiple options for trash pickup including the City of Carlsbad Convenience Station at 301 East Plaza open seven days a week.
More:Carlsbad on pace to collect more trash this year than 2021. How is the city keeping up?
She said the City offered grappler service for residents who have bulky and cannot transport them to the landfill or the Convenience Station.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at [email protected] or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.