Garbage and recycling system | Metro
Source: https://www.oregonmetro.gov/what-metro-does/garbage-and-recycling-system
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:22
Garbage and recycling system | Metro
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Garbage and recycling services are essential to keep people healthy, conserve natural resources and keep our communities clean. Metro manages and regulates the system that makes these services possible while ensuring that greater Portland meets state requirements for reducing waste.
Metro works with other governments, local communities, garbage and recycling businesses, and nonprofit organizations to make sure that the garbage and recycling system works for everyone. This work includes:
Setting standards for regional services and advocating for statewide laws that ensure the proper disposal of the products people use.
Ensuring garbage and recycling facilities follow rules and requirements designed to reduce the impacts of their operations.
Setting the fees that fund public services for people in the region, including two public transfer stations, household hazardous waste collection, cleanups of public spaces, and education programs on reducing waste.
Developing and implementing long-range plans to create good-paying jobs within the system, invest in the communities near garbage and recycling facilities, and make it easier to reuse and repair products.
This work is guided by the
2030 Regional Waste Plan
.
Need to get rid of something?
Find garbage and recycling services in greater Portland.
Learn more
Developing a system that works for everyone
Regional Waste Plan
The 2030 Regional Waste Plan is a long-range vision for greater Portland’s garbage and recycling system. The plan highlights values and goals for the system.
Regional System Facilities Plan
The Regional System Facilities Plan outlines investments to update garbage and recycling facilities and make it easier for people across the region to access services.
Budget and fee setting
Each year, the Metro Council sets the fees that fund operating, maintaining and improving the garbage and recycling system.
Grants
Metro offers several grant opportunities to benefit communities near garbage and recycling facilities and expand efforts to reduce waste in greater Portland.
Creating policies that guide the system
Extended producer responsibility
Extended producer responsibility requires companies to develop recycling solutions for the products they make and sell. These laws support Metro’s work to manage garbage and recycling in a way that keeps people healthy and protects the environment.
Keeping food out of the landfill
Metro is developing policies to keep food out of the garbage, reduce harmful carbon pollution, and make sure that facilities can process food scraps in a way that helps the environment and the economy.
Improving collection services for multifamily housing
Metro is working with local governments to improve garbage and recycling collection services for people who live in apartments, condos and other multifamily housing.
Managing the system
Solid waste authorizations
Current Metro authorizations: licenses, franchises and designated facility agreements.
Facility regulations and compliance
Metro monitors and enforces garbage and recycling requirements as part of its responsibility to oversee the Portland area’s garbage and recycling system in a way that protects people and the environment.
St. Johns Landfill
Learn about the history and restoration of the St. Johns Landfill.
Skip to main content
Garbage and recycling services are essential to keep people healthy, conserve natural resources and keep our communities clean. Metro manages and regulates the system that makes these services possible while ensuring that greater Portland meets state requirements for reducing waste.
Metro works with other governments, local communities, garbage and recycling businesses, and nonprofit organizations to make sure that the garbage and recycling system works for everyone. This work includes:
Setting standards for regional services and advocating for statewide laws that ensure the proper disposal of the products people use.
Ensuring garbage and recycling facilities follow rules and requirements designed to reduce the impacts of their operations.
Setting the fees that fund public services for people in the region, including two public transfer stations, household hazardous waste collection, cleanups of public spaces, and education programs on reducing waste.
Developing and implementing long-range plans to create good-paying jobs within the system, invest in the communities near garbage and recycling facilities, and make it easier to reuse and repair products.
This work is guided by the
2030 Regional Waste Plan
.
Need to get rid of something?
Find garbage and recycling services in greater Portland.
Learn more
Developing a system that works for everyone
Regional Waste Plan
The 2030 Regional Waste Plan is a long-range vision for greater Portland’s garbage and recycling system. The plan highlights values and goals for the system.
Regional System Facilities Plan
The Regional System Facilities Plan outlines investments to update garbage and recycling facilities and make it easier for people across the region to access services.
Budget and fee setting
Each year, the Metro Council sets the fees that fund operating, maintaining and improving the garbage and recycling system.
Grants
Metro offers several grant opportunities to benefit communities near garbage and recycling facilities and expand efforts to reduce waste in greater Portland.
Creating policies that guide the system
Extended producer responsibility
Extended producer responsibility requires companies to develop recycling solutions for the products they make and sell. These laws support Metro’s work to manage garbage and recycling in a way that keeps people healthy and protects the environment.
Keeping food out of the landfill
Metro is developing policies to keep food out of the garbage, reduce harmful carbon pollution, and make sure that facilities can process food scraps in a way that helps the environment and the economy.
Improving collection services for multifamily housing
Metro is working with local governments to improve garbage and recycling collection services for people who live in apartments, condos and other multifamily housing.
Managing the system
Solid waste authorizations
Current Metro authorizations: licenses, franchises and designated facility agreements.
Facility regulations and compliance
Metro monitors and enforces garbage and recycling requirements as part of its responsibility to oversee the Portland area’s garbage and recycling system in a way that protects people and the environment.
St. Johns Landfill
Learn about the history and restoration of the St. Johns Landfill.