The regional service standard sets the base level of service to for all government recycling collection programs in greater Portland.
The regional service standard includes both standards for education and outreach, and collection for residences and businesses to provide consistent services throughout the region.
It also includes specific requirements such as the business recycling requirement, adopted in 2008 requiring businesses in greater Portland to recycle, and the recently adopted business food waste requirement that requires certain types of food service businesses in the greater Portland area to keep their food scraps separate from garbage.
What are the specific changes that have been made?
The new change split the previous Chapter 5.10 into two chapters. Chapter 5.10 now covers the overall Regional Waste Plan and a new Chapter 5.15 was created to consolidate and focus on requirements specific to local governments.
Confusing sections have been reorganized by moving and rewording detailed information to administrative rules and group code sections by sector.
In the rule there will be a new general education section that applies to all customers and requires that education provided to all customers be accurate, culturally responsive and reflect local conditions.
New standards for multifamily services were adopted to implement high-priority Regional Waste Plan actions. These are the most significant changes and include:
- required use of regional signage on bins and in collection areas
- per unit service volume minimums for garbage, mixed recycling and glass streams
- weekly minimum collection frequency for all streams
- collection container color standard for all material streams.
The administrative rules for Metro code chapter 5.15 became effective on April 4, 2021.