One of three recycling stations operated by the City of Alamogordo is being rebuilt after it was blown away by a "dust devil" at its new location on North Florida Avenue recently.

Public Works Director Brian Cesar said the station, which had been on the corner of Florida and Indian Wells, was moved a few blocks away to the city public works yard on Florida.

"We moved it to the city yard, and that afternoon a large dust devil came through and destroyed the building," Cesar said.

He said the station had previously been on land owned by the adjacent J and J convenience store, but it was moved after the land was sold.

The station was one of three operated by the city where cardboard, newspaper, old phone books and aluminum cans are taken for recycling. Others include a station behind the Sgt. Willie Estrada Memorial Civic Center on First Street, and the city Convenience Center at 224 Lavelle Road.

The Lavelle Road location accepts cardboard, old tires, printer ink cartridges, used motor oil, scrap metal and batteries including automotive, cellular and other rechargeable batteries. In addition, the center takes yard waste such as clippings, leaves, limbs which is chipped for mulch. That mulch, in turn, is given away to any takers.

According to Cesar, the recyclables (except for the mulch) are sold to the highest bidders.

The tires are passed on to Otero County where they are baled for disposal, he said, while newspaper and cardboard recyclers come to the city about once a week to pick up that refuse.

What about plastic?

"Plastic, there's no market for right now," Cesar said, referring to potential recyclers for the material. So the city centers are not accepting plastic.

Meanwhile, the recycling center to be rebuilt at 26th and Florida should be open within about three weeks, the public works director said. "The materials are on order."