AARP Set to Conduct Free Shredding Day in Three New Mexico Communities. Santa Fe Event to be part of Drug Take Back Day.

AARP New Mexico will be hosting its Spring document shredding events Saturday, April 26, in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces.

As part of Drug Take Back Day, AARP will also be partnering with the New Mexico Department of Justice in Santa Fe to help people safely dispose of old or expired medications at the same time and place they can get rid of their sensitive documents.

“Instances of fraud and identify theft continue to rise with criminals becoming more and more sophisticated in how they obtain your sensitive information,” said Joseph P. Roybal-Sanchez, AARP New Mexico Associate State Director. “But the old ways, such as dumpster diving to get personal information, still work too. So, it pays to be vigilant and dispose of those documents properly.”

“But doing so can be expensive, so twice a year AARP New Mexico offers events in our larger cities so that people can get their paperwork shredded and disposed of securely without breaking the bank,” Roybal-Sanchez said.

Another element to the shredding event in Santa Fe will be partnering with the New Mexico Department of Justice so that people can dispose of medications that are either expired or no longer needed.

“AARP partnered with the New Mexico Department of Justice at our Fall shred event, and it was such a fun and successful day that we look forward to doing so again. Since we will already be on site for people to drive-through and drop off their documents, why not expand it to include medications? It just makes perfect sense to work together since the events coincide,” Roybal Sanchez said.

"The New Mexico Department of Justice is grateful to partner with AARP for Shred Day and Drug Take Back Day. Together, we are safeguarding our communities by securely disposing of sensitive documents and unwanted prescription medications. At our last event, we collected 100 pounds of unused medications, underscoring the importance of proper disposal. We look forward to another impactful and successful event," said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez.

Santa Fe

The Santa Fe event will be held Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for both document shredding and prescription drug disposal. It will be at the Santa Fe Place Mall, on the southside, near the Regal movie theater parking lot. Please follow the signs and traffic cones.

For shredding, participants are limited to two bankers’ boxes of materials or garbage bags. The event runs on a first come, first served basis, until 2 p.m. or until the trucks are full.

For prescription drug disposal, syringes, sharps or illicit drugs will not be accepted. Liquid medicines, such as cough syrup, should remain in their original container tightly sealed.

Las Cruces

The Las Cruces shred event will also take place Saturday, April 26, at Wal-Mart, 571 Walton Blvd, 88001, but from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. only.

The same rules apply -- participants are limited to two bankers’ boxes of materials or two small garbage bags. The event runs on a first come, first served basis, until 12 p.m. unless the trucks fill up sooner.

Albuquerque

The Albuquerque shred event is also set for Saturday, April 26, at Black Dog Shredding, 2800 Vassar Dr. NE, 87107, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Registration is required. Visit https://events.aarp.org/ABQShred but the event still runs on a first come, first served basis, until 12 p.m. or until the trucks are full.

Participants are limited to two bankers’ boxes of materials or two small garbage bags.

For more information reach out to Gary Williams at gdwiliams@aarp.org or Shanna Lapsley slapsley@aarp.org