Clackamas County Newsletter for Multifamily Property Managers 
Winter/Spring 2020
Your quarterly guide to successful recycling & waste reduction
from Clackamas County's Sustainability & Solid Waste Program
In this edition:
  • Oregon's Opportunity to Recycle requirement
  • Master Recycler Course and Recycling 101 opportunities
  • Recycling beyond the basics (proper disposal of medications, hazardous waste, etc.)
  • Bulky waste pilot opportunity - FUNDING AVAILABLE
  • Multifamily gathering: Let's partner! - COMPENSATION FOR ATTENDANCE
Cheers to Recycling Right in 2020!
We hope the new year started off footloose and fancy free! ...just like recyclables should be (not in plastic bags)!
Oregon kicked off 2020 with a statewide ban on flimsy plastic bags at checkout in an effort to reduce single-use plastics and to clean up our recycling. All plastic bags continue to be unaccepted in home (and work) recycling. Recycle items loose (and oh so free) in the recycling and glass bins. 
We can help you share this message (and others) with residents, and we have reusable recycling bags available for $1 each to help residents store and transport recyclables. To request free waste reduction and recycling resources or assistance, contact us today or use our online order form. 
Do you manage communities outside of Clackamas County? See our list of regional multifamily contacts throughout the tri-county area who are ready to help with your waste prevention, reuse, and recycling efforts.
Resident Recycling Education
We want to remind you of the multifamily requirements in Oregon's Opportunity to Recycle Act.
In Clackamas County (and Multnomah and Washington counties, too), property owners/managers are required to provide residents access to regular recycling service (this includes a separate bin for glass), as well as recycling education (at least annually). 
To help fulfill this requirement, we offer educational materials. To request free waste reduction and recycling resources, contact us today or use our online order form. 
Become a Master Recycler
Registration is open for the upcoming Master Recycler course in Clackamas County!
Are you or one of your residents interested in learning more about our recycling system? Do you reduce, reuse, and recycle and want to encourage your community to do it, too? Or could your community benefit from a resident expert? Then apply today!
WHAT: 8-week course on sustainable consumption and recycling. Become certified after volunteering 30 hours sharing the knowledge you learn with your community.
WHEN: Wednesdays (April 1 - May 20) 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. and two Saturdays (April 11 & May 9) 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
WHERE: 150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City
COST: $50 (full and partial scholarships available with no extra application)
Deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at noon. 
For more information and to apply, visit www.masterrecycler.org.

If the Master Recycler course doesn't fit your schedule, consider Recycling 101, an at-your-own-pace online course offered through a partnership between the Association of Oregon Recyclers and Oregon State University. Learn more at tiny.cc/recycling-101.
Recycling Beyond the Basics
A number of items cannot be recycled at home or work due to safety and logistical issues. However, specialized recycling opportunities exist to ensure items can be responsibly and safely disposed; and in this case, recycled. Below is a list of common items that require special disposal:
1. Prescription Drugs - The next National Prescription Drug Take-Back day will be April 25, 2020. Look for events in your community for drop-off opportunities. If you can't make this year's event, you can find year-round drop off boxes at many police departments and other locations throughout Clackamas County. 
2. TVs, Computers, Laptops, etc. - Oregon E-Cycles provides free recycling of TVs, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, and mice. Bring up to seven items at a time to participating Oregon E-Cycles collectors for free recycling.
3. Batteries & Bulbs* - Home Depot and Lowe's often accept customers' household rechargeable batteries and LED bulbs for free recycling. Metro South's Household Hazardous Waste Facility also accepts household batteries (rechargeable and single-use), bulbs, paints, and other hazardous waste for $5 (for up to 35 gallons). 
4. Medical Sharps - Some pharmacies and doctors offices have sharps program. Metro South's Household Hazard Waste Facility has a sharps exchange program. For a one-time $5 enrollment fee, a sharps container is provided and replaced with a new one each time a full container is returned for disposal.
*Multifamily communities may qualify for low-cost disposal of business-generated hazardous waste through Metro's commercially exempt generator program. Businesses can also set up accounts with private companies such as Batteries+ to dispose of their business-generated batteries and bulbs.
Looking to dispose of items not on this list? Refer to the depot list on the backside of our Recycle Guide, use Metro's Find-A-Recycler tool online, or contact us today. 
Got Bulky Waste Items? We have funds to help!
Do you frequently find couches, mattresses, and other household items in your trash and recycling enclosure(s)? 
We are looking for multifamily communities who might be interested in partnering with us to pilot potential bulky waste solutions. 
Communities would be asked to:
  • Provide information about current processes and costs of bulky waste disposal
  • Partner with Clackamas County Sustainability and the garbage/recycling collector for a one-month period
  • Help gather data during the pilot
  • Complete a post-pilot evaluation
Preferred communities are (not required): 
  • Located in unincorporated Clackamas County
  • Consistently experiencing issues with bulky waste
Communities selected to participate in the pilot will receive compensation for their partnership. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us today. 
Join Us 4/23/20! Partner to Improve Multifamily Recycling
Thanks to everyone who took our survey in the last e-newsletter and helped us shape our event. We have preliminary details!
Join us for lunch or bring your own. Together we can share and discuss challenges, successes, and opportunities to collaborate to improve multifamily recycling. 
WHAT: Multifamily Property Manager Waste Reduction and Recycling Lunch & Learn
WHEN: Thursday, April 23 - 12-1 pm 
WHERE: Clackamas County's Development Services Building, Rooms 119/120
150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City, OR 97045
WHO: Multifamily property owners, managers, staff, and management companies
We know you are busy. To compensate you for your time, and as a token of our appreciation for attending the event, participants will receive reusable recycling bags for residents, a credit on a future garbage bill, or a combination of both.
We will be mailing out additional information as the event approaches. If you would prefer to only receive an electronic postcard, just let us know. 
We hope you will join us!

Questions? Have a suggestion?
Email us
Order materials
Download our Recycle Guide
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Clackamas County Sustainability & Solid Waste
503.557.6363 I www.clackamas.us/recycling

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150 Beavercreek Rd
Oregon City, OR | 97045 US
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