Collection Services for Special-item Recycling Allowed in Some Parts of the Region, But Not Others
Many Portland area recyclers like to go above and beyond by bringing their non-curbside recycling to drop-off locations and special events. To find these locations and events, residents call Metro at 503-234-3000 or visit Metro’s Find a Recycler online tool.
Two businesses are emerging to provide the convenience of collecting specialty recycling directly from homes. James Recycling and Ridwell collect select non-curbside materials for a fee above and beyond what you pay for your standard curbside collection service.
There’s lots of reasons items are not accepted in curbside collection (these are just a few):
environmental and social benefits might be negligible
the materials might be harder to recycle
there may not be enough volume of the materials
lack of consistent recycling market
costs to manage them might be excess
they cannot sorted from mixed recycling
Local jurisdictions are working out whether a subscription collection service model fits within our region’s rules and regulations for our franchised or certificate collection systems.
Cities and Counties in the Portland metropolitan region establish official Franchise or Certificate systems. Franchises or Certificates grant private garbage & recycling companies exclusive routes for collection of solid waste. In exchange for the exclusive routes, these companies are required to provide services consistent with standards and fees set by the local jurisdiction. These standards provide thoughtful collection programs aimed to maximize environmental benefit, while keeping services affordable for all residents.
The services offered by James Recycling and Ridwell collect materials at homes within the territory of these garbage & recycling companies and outside of those established standards and fees. For all intents and purposes, this activity violates long-standing administrative City or County ordinances throughout our region.
The reaction by local jurisdictions to this rule violation has varied. Below is a summary of the current status in the City of Portland, Washington County and Clackamas County.
City of Portland: Changes to City Code Allows for Specialty Collection
In September, Portland City Council passed three exceptions to the franchise system. One of those exceptions is the collection of specialty-item convenience subscriptions such as services provided by James Recycling and Ridwell.
The City was already considering two exemptions that were unrelated to specialty subscription collection. An Equity Working Group determined that the City’s administrative rules could better meet residents’ disposal needs while at the same time increase economic opportunity to small BIPOC-owned businesses and low-income workers by making two specific exceptions to the franchise system. Junk removal and the informal collection of bottles and cans for the 10-cent deposit are now exceptions to the system. By allowing junk removal services outside of the franchise system, Portland is removing an economic barrier to small startup businesses and fulfilling a need that curbside collection does not. Meanwhile, allowing the informal collection of bottle bill containers by canners decriminalizes these activities and recognizes their role in the waste system.
In the City’s process of making these two exceptions, garbage & recycling companies pointed out that there was a third activity that should be addressed, and that was of the emergent services of specialty-item recycling collection. The City recognized that some residents are willing to pay for the convenience of the collection of these specialty items over hauling materials themselves to drop off locations.
But the City also determined that the environmental benefits were negligible, and the volume of material that James Recycling and Ridwell collect only amounts to about .0006% of the city’s waste. To attempt to fold this service into the standard system would place an unnecessary burden on the system, and so the City allowed for an exception to the franchise system.
This means that businesses can now legally provide special item subscription collection for recycling and reuse in the Portland city limits.
Washington County: Services must stop by end of October. Evaluation continues.
James Recycling conducts recycling events in Washington County, but does not provide home collection services there. So, they have not been in violation of County Code.
Similar to Portland, Ridwell’s collection services were not legal in Washington County’s Certificate system. The Washington County Garbage and Recycling Advisory Committee considered an exception to their Certificate requirements. After holding a public hearing with testimony from community members and business interests, the Garbage and Recycling Advisory Committee voted to deny Ridwell’s exemption request. A stop order has been issued to Ridwell, and they’ve been asked to discontinue service in Washington County by the end of this month.
County staff, the Garbage and Recycling Advisory Committee and the Board of Commissioners will be evaluating the viability of an expanded recycling collection program within the regulated garbage and recycling collection system.
Stay up to date by subscribing to the “For interest in garbage and recycling regulatory topics or the Garbage and Recycling Advisory Committee (GRAC)” email list at this link.
Clackamas County: Violation letter and considerations pending
James Recycling conducts recycling events in Clackamas County as well, but does not provide home collection services there. So, they have not been in violation of County Code.
In early 2021, Clackamas County invited Ridwell to present their business plan to regional local government staff. The County (and several cities in the county) advised Ridwell they would be in violation of the County’s code if they were to offer their services in the County. Ridwell solicited customers, through their website, to zip code areas that include unincorporated portions of the County.
In May, the County sent Ridwell a letter advising them their current operation violates the County’s code. The letter also stated the County was willing to discuss their compliance. The County says that Ridwell’s attorney responded that they did not feel the material they were collecting was solid waste and therefore they were not violating the code. Because Ridwell continues to solicit and provide service to residents of unincorporated Clackamas County, the County’s next step in the process is to send a violation letter to Ridwell, asking they cease providing solid waste collection services for compensation within unincorporated Clackamas County.
In parallel, the County’s Solid Waste Advisory Commission (SWAC) has held preliminary discussion of subscription services. SWAC anticipa que habrá más consideración de las opciones del Condado para la prestación del servicio de recolección de artículos que actualmente son reciclables solo a través de lugares de entrega.
Metro: Application for facility license
Ridwell applied for a Metro solid waste license for its facility at 7006 NE 79th Ct, Portland, OR 97218 to receive, consolidate and sort source-separated materials for transport to recycling and reuse markets. Metro is responsible for the regulatory oversight of facilities like Ridwell that receive, sort and consolidate garbage and recyclable materials. As mentioned, local jurisdictions are responsible for regulating collection services, like the subscription service provided by Ridwell, which are separate from the proposed activities under this license application. Metro opened a 30-day public comment period on Nov. 1 and will be hosting a public information session on the Ridwell application on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. Information about the public notice, information session and ways to comment can be found at www.oregonmetro.gov/ridwell. The facility is also required to apply for a Solid Waste Disposal Site Permit from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality by Nov. 15, 2021.