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.
Why a change?
It is out of date. This chapter of Metro code was designed for the 2008 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan and contains state requirements that are no longer in use.
It is not well organized. This chapter of Metro code does not fit the new format for Metro code and administrative rule. Additionally, to provide more clarity the existing Chapter 5.10 will be split into two chapters. Some code sections will be transferred into administrative rules to follow format changes being made to the Metro code overall.
It does not reflect the Regional Waste Plan. Updates will be made to the code and rule to implement the 2030 Regional Waste Plan and high-priority actions in the plan to improve multifamily garbage and recycling service.
Comments Metro receives, along with guidance from advisory groups, will inform updates to the proposed Metro code language and administrative rule.
What are the specific changes being considered?
The new change will split the current Chapter 5.10 into two chapters. Chapter 5.10 will cover the overall Regional Waste Plan and a new Chapter 5.15 will be created to consolidate and focus on requirements specific to local governments.
Confusing sections will be 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.
There will be new standards for multifamily services to implement high-priority Regional Waste Plan actions. These will be 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 regional service standard alternative program will be eliminated. Every-other-week mixed recycling collection has been incorporated into the collection service standard for those local governments with it in place as of Jan. 1, 2019.