Rio Grande Valley Summary
Did you know? As the Rio Grande Valley experiences rapid urbanization and population growth, the strain on existing landfill infrastructure accelerates. Investing in localized resource recovery isn’t just an environmental choice—it’s essential for long-term regional stability.
Everything is bigger in Texas…
…including the waste production. Like other central US states, the land is plentiful and less expensive, making it easier to place trash in a landfill.
Texas is home to 200 operating landfills.
Landfills in the RGV
In Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, and Willacy Counties, there are 2 active municipal solid waste (household trash) landfills. There are plans to use both Edinburg and LaGloria for the next several decades, meaning more reclaimable, valuable materials could be buried.
The true recycling rate, not so big…
Texas is one of the worst states for recovering materials and reusing or recycling them into new products. At best, the state’s recycling rate is 6% (TCEQ, 2022). In the RGV, recycling program access is scattered and disjointed. Some communities, like McAllen, offer pickup services, while others provide locations to drop off. Some communities have no recycling program at all.
Where does the recycling go?
For recyclables collected at the McAllen Recycling Center, those materials are transported across the border to Monterrey. This means the RGV is losing out on valuable materials that could create good-paying, sustainable jobs.