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By David McCall, Solid Waste Program Manager
When was the last time you recycled?
Have you ever experienced frustration when trying to recycle elsewhere?
If you would like to see an improvement in recycling services, plan on spending a little time learning more, and providing your suggestions at the upcoming Tillamook County Solid Waste “Needs Assessment” meeting on Tuesday February 14th at 2:30 pm. Show some love for recycling and solid waste on Valentine’s Day and provide input for upcoming improvements and opportunities for solid waste and recycling options.
They say that some things only happen once in a decade, or once in a generation, or maybe even once in a lifetime.
It appears as though we have arrived at one of those junctions in Tillamook County’s recycling world, though I’m not sure whether it’s a “generation” or “lifetime” event. For several years, we’ve been preparing for some significant upgrades to all three of the transfer stations, but this opportunity comes from outside.
Changes that were made in recycling systems back in 2017, following China’s Green Fence initiative – which resulted in the near collapse of many recycling programs. We weathered through that relatively well, but the same can’t be said for many other places. TheOregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) started convening lots of meetings involving lots of folks, and one result was the 2021 passage of the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA). This act envisions a more equitable and consistent recycling system throughout the state, and introduces a hybrid Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) system in Oregon. All this goes into effect July 1, 2025, but our opportunity to leap forward is NOW.
As part of this process, each city and county has the opportunity to request infrastructural support, through DEQ, from the Producer Responsibility
Organization(s), who will be responsible for rolling out these new statewide systematic improvements in 2025.
Because our cities are small, and so much of our population lives in unincorporated areas, we are organizing a coordination meeting on February 14th at the Partners for Rural Innovation (OSU Extension building across from TBCC, on Third St.)
At this meeting, we hope that all cities, as well as individuals and interest group representatives from throughout Tillamook County, will come together and share their visions, desires, and needs, so that we can respond to this request in a collaborative, cohesive manner – for the benefit of ALL Tillamook County residents, wherever they may reside or work.
I’ve been in this business for 29 years, and I’ve never seen an opportunity like this.
This is our opportunity. Let’s not miss this shot. Join us on the late afternoon of Valentine’s Day, and share the Holiday of Love with your vision for recycling.
For more information about recycling or hazardous waste disposal:
Call (503) 815-3975 or email us at recycle@co.tillamook.or.us or visit our website at www.co.tillamook.or.us/solid-waste
