PNM Recycling Program

Managing Our Solid Waste

The success of the PNM recycling program is due to an all-volunteer employee-led program known as Team Green. PNM Team Green has been in place since 2007 and is focused on waste diversion at all our facilities. Team Green members champion reduce, re-use, and recycle opportunities ("3Rs") at each PNM location and find opportunities for the 3Rs, supporting our Investment Recovery program and recording metrics associated with their efforts.

Team Green has ensured that PNM has met annual solid waste reduction goals for over a decade.

PNM received recognition from the New Mexico Recycling Coalition twice for its recycling efforts, once for its overall corporate recycling program as a Business Recycler of the Year, and once for recycling efforts at its Ruidoso operations office. In 2022, PNM achieved a corporate-wide waste diversion rate of over 78%.

PNM operations are active across New Mexico, and the complexity of the electricity industry presents many opportunities to recycle, including scrap metals, out-of-service power poles, reels and pallets, used oil, coolants, waste, lighting, old equipment, machinery, and regular office waste such as paper and plastics. 

We encourage all of our employees to participate in reducing waste streams by:

• Assessing the materials being used and the potential wastes they will generate.
• Reducing the materials and resources being used.
• Reusing materials in-hand.
• Recycling the materials no longer needed.
• Celebrating and communicating success.

A great source of information and support for Team Green is the New Mexico Recycling Coalition.