Clean up your neighborhood
Garbage and recycling
› Clean up your neighborhood
Make a difference in your neighborhood and plan a community cleanup event! Metro offers vouchers to nonprofits for the disposal of bulky waste, yard debris and recyclable materials.
Qualified nonprofit groups are eligible to receive vouchers that pay for disposal of bulky waste, yard debris and recyclable material. Metro's disposal fee voucher program funds disposal of solid waste collected at cleanups sponsored by neighborhood associations, local governments, public agencies and eligible nonprofit organizations.
Local governments also are eligible to participate in Metro's matching grant program that pays for other items related to cleanup events, like dumpster rental fees, advertising, and gloves and supplies for volunteers.
Eligibility for disposal vouchers
Qualified organizations:
- must qualify as a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code
- cannot contract with for-profit organizations to collect, process or sell used goods
- cannot use Metro’s disposal vouchers to benefit any religious function of any religious group
- include neighborhood associations, local governments and nonprofit organizations as defined in Metro Code
Eligible activities and requirements
- neighborhood coalition and neighborhood association cleanup events; cleanup of private property when a voucher is requested by a local government or nonprofit in order to address an economic hardship of the resident; natural resource-area cleanups; home rehabilitation for low-income citizens; and community events that provide the opportunity for recycling education and outreach to large numbers of people.
- events receiving disposal vouchers must provide benefit to the population at large (within the qualifying organization’s service area), and cannot solely benefit one organization or that organization’s membership.
Limits and prohibitions
- events using Metro disposal vouchers cannot accept hazardous waste; waste not acceptable at a regional transfer station; commercially generated waste, including construction and demolition waste, and kitchen garbage.
- $5,000 annual limit per agency.
To apply for disposal vouchers:
- Fill out the disposal fee voucher form and fax or mail it to Ava Linhart at Metro.
- Apply for disposal fee vouchers well in advance of your event, and no later than 14 days prior.
- Include proof of nonprofit status.
- Contact your local hauler to inquire about rental or donation of Dumpsters. Metro’s disposal fee vouchers pay only for disposal of the waste at a local transfer station (the "tipping fee").
- Events must include reuse, recycling, and waste-prevention opportunities and information (proper separation of recyclables, a reusables rummage sale area, donation, an outreach table with master recycler volunteers and educational displays, or even on-site wood chipping and mulching of local plants).
- Recognize Metro in all publicity about the cleanup event, including on-site at the event.
- Use the vouchers by the expiration date, and return to Metro any unused vouchers no later than 30 days after the last event.
- Send Metro an annual report that summarizes the amount and types of waste collected and recycled at the events, samples of event publicity and number of people served (the annual reporting form is included in the disposal fee waiver form document).
Return completed disposal fee waiver forms to:
Metro's Sustainability Center
Attn. Ava Linhart
600 NE Grand Ave
Portland, OR 97232
Fax: 503-797-1795
E-mail: ava.linhart@oregonmetro.gov
Need assistance?
Ava Linhart
503-797-1651
ava.linhart@oregonmetro.gov
Files and related materials
Files that are downloadable from this page
Related Internet links
- SOLV
(http://www.solv.org)
