Suspension of Enhanced Dry Waste Recovery Program sorting and sampling requirements
On April 23, 2020, Metro’s chief operating officer temporarily suspended the requirement for material recovery facilities to sort dry waste and conduct quarterly sampling of residual waste as required by Metro’s Enhanced Dry Waste Recovery Program (EDWRP). Metro suspended these requirements to help protect worker health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. This action is in addition to the wood waste recovery requirement that Metro suspended in November 2015.
Please note that although Metro has temporarily suspended certain recovery, sampling and reporting requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Metro still requires that all mixed dry waste generated within the region be transported to an authorized material recovery facility prior to disposal.
For more information on the temporary suspension of certain EDWRP provisions, review the Council Resolution, Emergency Declaration and staff report below. If you have any questions regarding EDWRP or the suspended requirements, please contact Will Ennis at [email protected].
Administrative rules for private transfer stations
Effective July 2, 2020, Metro implemented administrative rules to establish a uniform set of general operating and performance requirements for all private transfer stations within the Metro service area. The general operating and performance requirements intentionally mirror the current franchise requirements that Metro Council adopted at the end of 2019 for the privately owned transfer stations in the Metro service area. In adopting these rules, Metro's chief operating officer has continued an effort that began more than two years ago when a similarly uniform set of rules was adopted for two other classes of facilities – material recovery facilities and conversion technology facilities. The rules also advance transfer station management of food waste to support implementation of Metro’s business food waste requirements.
The administrative rules were approved by Metro's chief operating officer following a public comment period in the Spring of 2020.
Administrative rules for the transfer stations owned by Metro
Effective July 2, 2020, Metro implemented administrative rules for Metro Code Chapter 5.03 that describe some of Metro’s current internal accounting policies and the types of fees charged at the transfer stations owned by Metro. Chapter 5.03 and the rules apply only to the transfer stations owned by Metro, which currently consists of two facilities: Metro South Transfer Station and Metro Central Transfer Station. Since these rules describe current operations, as they have been for several years at Metro South Transfer Station and Metro Central Transfer Station, these rules do not change operations at these facilities.
The administrative rules were approved by Metro's chief operating officer following a public comment period in the Spring of 2020.
Administrative rules for putrescible waste tonnage allocation
Metro’s chief operating officer signed administrative rules on Oct. 7, 2022, governing the allocation of putrescible waste to private transfer stations for calendar year 2023 and beyond.
Administrative rules for business food waste requirement
Effective Oct. 31, 2018, Metro implemented administrative rules to provide a region-wide standard for the separation and collection of food waste from certain food-waste-generating businesses. These rules include requirements for local governments to enforce the collection of food waste separate from garbage.
Metro Council established requirements for food-waste generating businesses through an amendment to Metro Code Chapter 5.10, adopted in July 2018. The administrative rules were approved by Metro’s chief operating officer following a public comment period in 2017 and a second public comment period in 2018.
More information on Metro's food scraps policy
Administrative rules for material recovery and conversion technology facilities
Effective March 1, 2018, Metro implemented administrative rules to guide the licensing and inspection of facilities that receive source-separated recyclable materials as well as some facilities that convert waste to energy or fuel.
Metro Council established licensing and inspection requirements for these types of facilities through amendments to Metro Code chapters 5.00 and 5.01, adopted in October 2017. The administrative rules were approved by Metro's chief operating officer following two public comment periods in 2017.
Recovery standards for wood waste
Effective Nov. 12, 2015, Metro Council has temporarily suspended portions of the Enhanced Dry Waste Recovery Program as it pertains to wood waste processing and recovery requirements. For more information, review the council resolution and staff report, a letter to facility operators providing guidance on how Metro intends to implement EDWRP in the interim and a fact sheet.
Solid waste regulatory guidance bulletins numbers three and eight have been updated and the revised bulletins are posted below.