Talking trash with Mike Lucero

The City of Socorro's Landfill is a critical service for waste management, processing about 100 tons of waste daily.

“I take pride in what we do, because this has turned into a landfill from a dump,” Mike Lucero said, “I think any of the landfills in the state would say, ‘You know what? That landfill in Socorro is really, really clean,"

Lucero, who has dedicated 18 years as the City of Socorro’s Landfill and Sanitation Director, has been instrumental in pivoting the facility into a proper landfill.

When it comes to landfills’ operation, there is more than meets the eye. The facility hinges on daily sorting, recycling, cell maintenance, constant use of heavy machinery, regulatory compliance, regular inspections and teamwork.

“When it was a dump, everybody threw everything. There was no separation of this and separation of that; there was no organization. But now we've become organized,” Lucero said.

The landfill is run by a team of 12, who operate millions of dollars' worth of equipment, including scrapers, dozers, trash trucks and compactors.

In what could be considered a messy business, Lucero has instilled cleanliness, pride and responsibility in his staff.

"I tell my guys to take pride. When you see something, pick it up, instead of just dodging in the middle of the road, stop and get it and put it in your truck,” Lucero.

He said the effort hasn’t gone unnoticed; he regularly receives comments on the facility's cleanliness. At the last city council meeting, he was praised by the councilors and mayor about the cleanliness and hard work put in especially over the holidays.

During Lucero’s tenure the level of compliance and maintenance has become significantly stricter over the last years.

A "cell" in a landfill is an engineered section used to place and contain waste. Cells are now constructed with liners that serve as environmental protection, and they're closed off with soil, mulching and seeding after they’re full, said Lucero. Trash is covered with six inches of soil, known as “daily cover,” at the end of each day.

Lucero performs site maintenance, groundwater monitoring wells, dust control, runoff and erosion management and regular inspections with the help of his staff. The facility has cells in different stages, with two active (lined) cells and several closed.

Lucero makes a point to visit every inch of the 30-acre property.

"I have to come up here at least once a month and do an inspection on it. I have to keep track and make sure no issues were found on our close-up, because we have to monitor it for 30 years,” He said.

Beyond keeping the site tidy, Lucero has also implemented methods that turn waste streams into on-site materials, reducing landfill volume and generating revenue through recycling.

Tree limbs are ground up with a tub grinder to produce mulch, which is then used around the landfill for erosion control and to help plants grow in closed cells. They also use construction and demolition debris known as "clean fill" to build or reinforce slopes and other parts of the landfill.

Lucero said tire bales are used to protect the arroyo on the property from contamination by trash, however the larger commercial tires are too big for the compactor. If they are able to get a tire shredder that can process them, they can use the final product in the required cell coverage.

Metal and cardboard are sold to companies by the ton, bringing revenue to the landfill, which helps offset the high costs of machinery, maintenance and required projects.

To find out more about information on landfill hours and fees visit: https://www.socorronm.gov/city-services/landfill/