Multifamily
The Washington County Multi-family Recycling Program
Thirty percent of Washington County households are apartments, condominiums or townhouses. Recycling and waste prevention efforts of these residents and their property managers are critical to reach the regional goal to recycle/divert 64% of our waste from the landfill.
Why Recycle?
- Reduces Costs
Separating reusable and recyclable materials from the garbage stream significantly reduces garbage bills by tens or hundreds of dollars monthly.
On a larger scale, the garbage collection rates are subject to the cost to provide collection service, of which disposal costs are a large component. Local landfills or transfer stations generally charge $70-80 per ton to dispose of garbage. However, a ton of recyclables, taken to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), costs far less ($10-25 per ton) and, in some instances, can generates modest revenues.
In 2007, the cost to dispose of solid waste collected in unincorporated Washington County was nearly $7 million, which represents about one-third of the total cost to provide garbage, yard debris and recycling service. Much of the materials dispose of as garbage could have been reused or recycled.
- Protects our land, air and water
By recycling, we are re-circulating resources through the economy, which reduces the need to extract raw materials to make “stuff”. Check out the Story of Stuff (a 15-minute video) to learn how materials are used to generate products for our material economy.
- Keeps our community clean
By adding recycling service at a community, residents can separate from garbage paper, plastic bottles and containers, aluminum, metal, and glass bottles and jars. No longer will these materials occupy space in your community's garbage containers and result in overflowing containers.
- Creates jobs
Recycling creates many jobs for our community - even more than disposal positions. When material is set out for recycling, it will be sorted, transported, processed and eventually re-processed to make into new products or feedstock. At each step, jobs support the process, which add value to the original load of recyclables.
- It’s the law
Oregon State law (ORS 90.318) requires multi-family complexes to provide its residents the opportunity to recycle.
Free Assistance to Property Managers and HOAs:
If you are property manager, a Home Owners Association (HOA) representative, or are in charge of a housing community’s garbage and recycling program, go to the property manager recycling page for more information about our free assistance program.
If you are a resident of an apartment, townhouse or condo community with shared garbage and recycling service, or if you have separate service but share an account through your HOA, go to the resident recycling page for information on how to recycle and reduce waste in your community.
