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Waste
Other resources
Over 75 percent of Portland’s waste comes from businesses. Much of what ends up in the trash could be recycled. In fact, 20 tons of recyclable paper is thrown away every half hour by businesses in the Portland metropolitan area, and garbage sent to landfills is a significant source of greenhouse house emissions.
Setting up a robust recycling program at your business gives your employees a service they value and expect. Contact us for free on-site assistance and materials.
The following resources also provide important information on this topic.
Recycling and Composting
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Metro: Find a Recycler
Metro maintains a comprehensive directory of options for recycling unwanted items and materials. Use the Recycler Locator Tool to search for companies that accept appliances, plastics, fryer oil, light bulbs, batteries and many other materials and products that typically end up in our landfills. Or use the Recycler Directories to find businesses and charitable organizations in the Portland metro area that accept materials for recycling or reuse.
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Portland Composts!
Businesses in the City of Portland can now contract with waste haulers to collect food waste and food-soiled paper for composting. The City of Portland can provide technical assistance, logistical support, communications and marketing materials and more.
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Recycle at Work
The City of Portland’s Recycle at Work program can help you design a recycling system that best fits your business and your chosen recycling company. The program can provide free technical assistance from a Recycling Specialist, signs, recycling boxes, and a recognition program for going above and beyond.
Electronic Recycling (computers, TVs, kitchen appliances)
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Basel Action Network: e-Stewards Program
Electronic devices contain toxic metals such as mercury, lead or cadmium. If sent to the dump these chemicals leach into the environment, polluting soil and groundwater. However, much of the US’s electronic waste is shipped overseas, where products may be recycled using unsafe methods and hazardous chemicals. The Seattle-based nonprofit Basel Action Network has created an “e-Stewards” program, where recyclers pledge not to export, dump or use prison labor to deconstruct electronics. Find out more about the pledge and find recyclers who have signed it in the Pacific Northwest.
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Department of Environmental Quality: Electronic Recycling
Oregon’s recently enacted Electronics Recycling Law creates and finances a statewide collection, transportation, and recycling system for televisions, desktop and portable computers, and computer monitors. By January 2009 the system will provide free, convenient, safe and environmentally sound recycling options for households, small businesses and nonprofits (10 or fewer employees), and anyone else giving seven or fewer computer and electronic systems to a collector at any one time. The system is financed by manufacturers and will be available at no charge to consumers.
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Free Geek
Free Geek is a nonprofit organization in Portland that recycles and refurbishes consumer electronics such as computers, printers, faxes, stereos, telephones, VCRs, and DVD players. In the four years since its formation, Free Geek has recycled over 360 tons of electronic scrap and refurbished over 3,000 computer systems that are now used by individuals and organizations in the community.
Doing nothing is not an option. The longer we do nothing, the more it will cost our region and the nation, both environmentally and economically. Protecting the environment is essential for our economy and our future
Peggy Fowler, CEO
Portland General Electric
This program helped us develop our goals for the future and unified our commitment to go green. More importantly, it solidified the purpose of our greening group and allowed us to bring others on board.
Liz Rousseau, Administrative Assistant
Waterleaf Architecture
While different approaches to reducing climate change can be debated, a national policy must be able to garner broad support from business, policy makers and environmental groups. This is too important an issue to get deadlocked in politics.
Peggy Fowler, CEO
Portland General Electric