Garbage and Recycling in Portland are essential services that make waste disposal easy for residents. When moving to Portland, you’ll be happy to know that the city provides residential curbside collection, including weekly composting and recycling, along with garbage pickup every other week.
Residential service is available for homeowners and renters in single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. Additionally, landlords are required to provide and cover the cost of curbside collection for renters, regardless of building size.
Each Cart Plays a Part: Recycle, Compost & Garbage
- Garbage is collected every other week for most residential customers and every four weeks for some customers by request.
- You have options! Right size your garbage container to fit your household’s needs with one of four sizes available.
- Mix paper plastic and metal together in the blue Portland Recycles! roll cart.
- Keep glass bottles and jars separate in a yellow recycling bin.
- Include the food! Collect food scraps while preparing meals scraping plates and cleaning the fridge of leftovers and to the green Portland Composts! roll cart along with yard debris.
- In Fact, 70% of what is collected is recycled or composted!
We’re here to help you make the most of your curbside system.
www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/carts | 503-823-7202
Take the guesswork out of garbage day!
Sign up for free email reminders at www.garbagedayreminders.com.
Multifamily – Recycling
Buildings with five or more units receive multifamily services. (Four units or less is residential service and is provided by your landlord.)
If you’re new to Portland there’s a good chance you’re renting an apartment buying a condo or living in some type of multifamily community of five or more units.
How and where you dispose of trash, compost, and recycling may look different depending on where you live. What doesn’t change is your right to participate. The big picture is that multifamily property owners and managers provide and pay for garbage and recycling services. In addition, they are also responsible for providing recycling information annually and at move-in.
As a resident resources are available free of charge including:
- how and where to dispose of garbage and recycling
- what items can be recycled
- where to take things that don’t belong in the garbage or recycling
- who to contact with questions
Contact the property owner-manager or the City of Portland for free information and resources.
www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/multifamily | 503-823-7224
Moving resources for renters: Recycling, Composting & Garbage
There are many options available for items you no longer need or want during move-in or move-out.
- Find reusable items such as furniture household goods clothes shoes and books at garage sales and donation centers.
- Talk to the landlord about setting out large or bulky items or extra garbage for collection. There is a fee for these services.
- Recycle electronic waste such as computers monitors and TVs. These items cannot be disposed of in the garbage in Oregon.
- Take hazardous waste such as paint chemicals and cleaners to a local household hazardous waste disposal site.
Questions about items not accepted at your building? Ask Metro.
www.oregonmetro.gov/recycling | 503-234-3000
Request your free Portland Relocation Guide here
