Recycling Program Will Hold Oregon Waste Packaging Businesses Accountable
Oregon will launch a recycling program in July that will make businesses financially accountable for the packaging waste they produce.
Regulations will dictate what materials will be accepted in recycling bins and how much it will cost producers whose packaging materials impact the environment.
Oregon Will Lead the Recycling Program
Oregon is at the forefront of adopting a recycling program that has been operating in Canada and the European Union for many years and follows the stance taken by China in 2017 when it stopped accepting several types of packaging, including plastics.
In 2021, Oregon passed the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act which requires businesses that distribute or sell packaging and paper to register and pay membership fees as a Producer Responsibility Organization.
The law does not apply to state-exported materials but does apply to local and non-state businesses whose global revenues exceed $5 million.
Curbside and Collection Site Recyclables
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has identified two types of recyclables – curbside recycling and collection sites where residents can deliver non-biodegradable material like plastics, and aluminum foil which takes up to 500 years to decompose but is considered ‘highly recyclable.’
DEQ has set the fees payable by businesses that produce packaging. Companies that produce products harmful to the environment will be subjected to hefty payments, while lower fees will apply to businesses that move away from non-biodegradable products.
The DEQ’s Nicole Portley says the department does not expect the recycling changes to impact the cost of food. This observation is based on trends in Canada where 90% of costs are borne by the top 100 companies.
The DEQ has also established a wage scale of $25 to $32 an hour for people employed at the state’s 10 waste sorting facilities.
The recycling program will kick off in July, becoming fully operational by 2028. Cities and counties with more than 4,000 residents must offer curbside recycling, while participation in the program by smaller towns will be optional.