Tag: Trash

Community, Services

Curbside Bulky Trash Pickup Calculator

Residents living in single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes can now schedule curbside pickup of bulky items from their trash service at a predictable price point. People trying to dispose of something that won’t fit in a residential garbage bin have had limited choices, often with a substantial price tag, prompting some to place items on sidewalks with “free” signs to dispose of them. New city-set rates for curbside collection of large items make it easier for many Portlanders to properly unburden themselves from broken furniture, old mattresses, appliances, and other irregular waste.

Eligible households can contact their garbage and recycling company to schedule curbside pickup for large items, often referred to as bulky waste. After being assigned a special pickup day by the hauling service, people will then place the items at the curb by 6 a.m. on the scheduled day, but no more than 24 hours before pickup to avoid excessive rainwater contamination that can make items heavier and more challenging to handle. Collection companies could charge an additional fee if the pickup requires extra time or additional staff.

The City of Portland is currently promoting its bulky waste cost calculator, which allows people to view the expected collection cost for each item, along with a single-trip pickup fee of $18. Although they include many common examples—including a refrigerator collection cost of $51, a Water heater is $6, and a King mattress is $29—the garbage company decides which category each item falls into. If the item isn’t listed, it will estimate the price based on size or type. This tool is not an exact quote, but it offers many residents a reasonable option for budgeting when disposing of larger items.

The garbage service account holder must authorize the added cost of collection; therefore, some renters may need to contact their landlord to request pickup. People in apartments or businesses will need to check with the property manager about disposal options. If people have a transport vehicle, there are free options for disposing of mattresses through Bye Bye Mattress’s listing of drop-off locations or E-Cycle Oregon’s directory for responsibly disposing of unwanted electronics. People can pay less if they take their bulky waste items to a Metro Transfer Station for disposal, paying a fee based on weight and other factors. Additionally, a new Metro program allows people to recycle old mattresses and box springs for free, thanks to a 2022 Oregon Senate Bill.

The city-set rates for curbside collection of large items and bulky waste cost calculator can help people make an informed choice about how to dispose of items that are challenging to handle. The predictable prices and convenience of curbside collection could entice more residents to use the collection service and help reduce abandoned items on Portland Streets. Visit the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability website for more information.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Community, Services

Curbside Recycle Your Batteries

Starting June 10th, Portland trash haulers will collect appropriately contained batteries with curbside glass recycling. City residents with trash service at a house, duplex, triplex, or fourplex should place used batteries in a clear, sealed one-quart bag and set it on top of glass recyclables. Labeled alkaline batteries can go straight into the bag, while all others need the positive and negative terminals covered by tape to prevent fires.

Photo courtesy BPS

Used battery collection is a significant addition to the roster of curbside collectible waste. It can potentially reduce Battery-caused fires in garbage trucks and waste-processing facilities. Those dangerous conditions have increased dramatically in recent years due to expanded battery use, costing millions of dollars in damage and putting workers’ lives in danger.

Devices containing batteries and loose power cells should never go into the trash. Local nonprofits like Free Geek and some retailers make battery-containing e-recycling possible. However, many people have needed a low-barrier way to dispose of loose batteries at home. The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s (BPS) new service provides a convenient method for residential trash collection customers. People in apartments and businesses will need to find a drop-off battery recycling option by contacting Metro’s Recycling Information Center Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 503-234-3000, or by visiting their website: www.oregonmetro.gov/askmetro.

Article and title photo by

Jacob Loeb

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Community

Extra Compost Pickup Allowed

Due to the winter storm earlier this month, many garbage companies could not perform regular collections. To catch up for that missed work, haulers skipped compost collection the following week. Understanding that some people will have three weeks of uncollected organic material and tree limbs broken free from the storm, during the week of January 29th to February 22nd, customers who have not had compost picked up in two weeks can set out three times as much for no extra charge.

Customers who have more yard waste than can fit in your curbside compost bin can use yard waste bags, extra bins, or bundles. A bag or container should not exceed 32 gallons and 45 pounds. Bundled branches must be shorter than three feet, no thicker than four inches, and tied securely with non-metallic string or twine. People should place bags, cans, or bundles next to their green compost bin for easy identification.

People looking to dispose of larger and heavier items must contact their hauler to determine the cost or work with a private recycler. Oregon Metro offers an online search option to find disposal options, or they can call 503-234-3000 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Community, Infrastructure

BPS Completes NE Portland Public Trash Can Rollout

Last month, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) installed trash cans throughout NE Portland, including parts of Montavilla. This latest rollout is part of a multi-year expansion of the City-managed rubbish collection program that started in 2017 with the Jade District. In 2016, Portland City Council voted to expand the city’s public trash can program into underserved areas and increase the solid waste commercial tonnage fee by $1.30 to fund the program.

Because Montavilla spans Northeast and Southeast Portland, the phased rollout of public trash cans occurred in different years. The neighborhood first received new rubbish receptacles south of E Burnside Street in December 2021. A year later, BPS crews began delivering cans to locations in North Montavilla. BPS staff placed units in high-traffic corridors along NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The intersection of E Burnside Street and 82nd Avenue gained three new cans. That addition brings the total to four trash enclosures, including the existing TriMet-owned can on the southeast corner. NE Glisan Street and NE 82nd Avenue also received multiple units adjacent to the bus shelters. Crews installed the remaining Montavilla cans in places identified as problem areas during a 2022 community survey. With trash can expansion work now covering all areas East of the Willamette River, BPS will spend the next two years increasing unit count in Northwest, South, and Southwest Portland.

The density of public trash cans is still insufficient on many streets, and littering will continue. However, this expansion is a significant push forward by the City to provide basic infrastructure for Portland’s residents. Trash cans alone will not prevent street trash, but they will reduce the overall volume of improperly discarded items and make it easier for civic-minded people clean public spaces. Look for the new cans already on the street and report any overflowing cans or other problems online to 311, by phone (503-823-4000), or by email (311@portlandoregon.gov).

BPS created map of NE Portland cans cropped to highlight Montavilla

By

Jacob Loeb

Correction (March 16th, 2023): The original version of this article indicated that BPS completed its trash can expansion. The city will continue adding new cans in other areas over the next two years.

Community, Infrastructure

Public Trash Cans Coming to NE Portland

The next wave of public trash cans will hit Portland’s streets early in 2023 as new receptacles arrive from the manufacturer. A year ago, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) installed trash cans throughout SE Portland, including parts of Montavilla. Now city staff are preparing for the NE expansion and need the public’s help in determining the placement of those rubbish containers. People can take the online survey now but must submit their entries by Monday, December 19th.

In 2016, the Portland City Council authorized an expansion of the public trash program through a tax on the solid waste commercial tonnage fee. By June 2017, Portland’s Jade District received new waste receptacles as part of a pilot program. In 2020, East Portland neighborhoods began receiving new trash cans. By 2023, the BPS will have added 150 new City-provided and serviced trash cans to NE Portland, bringing the total available receptacles in the quadrant to 215.

Trash can delivery, image courtesy BPS

Each 65-gallon trash can stands 4.5 feet tall and has a three-by-three-foot footprint. On narrow sidewalks, BPS will deploy a smaller 35-gallon can. Many units have a side attachment for beverage bottles, making them accessible to community members looking to collect the deposit. The City intends to contract with a woman or minority-owned trash hauler to empty the containers twice a week.

When suggesting locations for the new cans, BPS staff remind participants that trash cans must reside on public sidewalks and cannot be placed in parking lots or other private property. They also want to prioritize natural gathering spaces near businesses, schools, and intersections.

BPS map showing potential trash can placement

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Infrastructure

Public Trash Cans Coming to SE

This fall, Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) is installing 182 new public trash cans throughout Southeast Portland. The cans are emptied twice a week, paid for by the City. From now until August 1st, city staff requests that residents and people working in the area complete a can placement survey.

Last year, Montavilla News and the Montavilla Neighborhood Association conducted a similar survey. The results from that initiative are already submitted to BPS and do not require resubmittal. Data collected now will include areas beyond the neighborhood boundaries to encompass E Burnside Street to SE Clatsop Street and the Willamette River to I205.

Area receiving trash cans this fall

Within the brief survey, participants can drop multiple pins where they think BPS should place new cans. There is also an opportunity to ask for specific areas to be exempt from trash can placement and provide additional comments. When completing the survey, participants can choose to subscribe to a project-updates email list.

With a limited number of trash receptacles available for the Southeast, it’s essential to use local knowledge to place cans where they will receive the most use. Northeast Portland is slated as the next trash can expansion area, rolling out just a few months after Southeast. Look for a similar survey for that area later this summer.

Montavilla Neighborhood Association’s submitted can placement map

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the MNA Board

Infrastructure, Services

Reporting Dumped Garbage

We have all seen piles of trash dumped on the street or sidewalk in our neighborhood. Perhaps it has been in front of your house or business. This can be frustrating and a blight on the public areas. Fortunately Portland cares about it as much as we do and they have a way of reporting these trash dumps online.

Metro RID Patrol is the service that wants to hear about the abandoned trash. They can be contacted at 503-234-3000 or online. Some good citizens will clean up small items around the neighborhood, and we all thank you, but know that some items are too big and too dangerous. If there is a stockpile of needles or other sharp items, Metro RID Patrol is your safest option.

Metro RID Patrol’s dashboard is another great data visualization tool that Portlanders have at their disposal. There you can see the average crew response time and the tonnage of waste collected. It can be easy to think that we can not keep up on the trash being spread around our streets, but if we report it, we stand a good chance of keeping clean.