Waste Generation, Recovery Grow in Oregon

Oregon’s solid waste generation continues to rise, reaching a high of 4.95 million tons, or 2,798 pounds per Oregonian per year. Waste recovery and recycling efforts softened the environmental impact of increased waste generation by diverting 2.16 million tons of material to productive end uses, according to the DEQ. This recovery level of 1,219 pounds per person represents a new high for Oregon. After credits for reuse and backyard composting, Oregon’s official waste recovery rate stands at a record 47.3 percent, topping 2002’s 46.5 percent rate, the DEQ reports.

Though statewide waste recovery now surpasses Oregon’s 45 percent goal for 2005, it will be difficult for the state to meet the Oregon Legislature’s mandate of no increase in per-capita waste generation in 2005, Jay Donnaway, who coordinates DEQ’s materials recovery survey, says.

“The increase in recycling was made possible due to the joint efforts of everyone in the recycling loop – local governments, garbage haulers, recycling processors, businesses and citizens. At the same time, we’re disappointed by the continued increase in waste generation," Donnaway says. "We’d like to see more Oregonians reduce the amount of waste they generate in the first place while continuing to recycle all they can."

Waste generation is a measure of total discards (recovery and disposal) from households and businesses. In amassing their record 2,798 pounds of waste generation per person, Oregonians discarded 2.75 percent more materials (an extra 74 pounds) in 2003 than in 2002.

While the state reported a record recycling rate, it set a record for garbage disposal as well. In 2003, total disposal stood at 2.8 million tons, up from 2.72 million tons in 2002.

Oregon’s record 47.3 percent waste recovery rate includes materials collected for recycling or composting, as well as some material burned for energy recovery. Major types of materials recovered include paper, organic materials (wood waste, yard debris and food waste), metals, plastics, glass, used tires and used motor oil.

Most significant in the increased recovery rate was the increase of more than 53,000 tons in paper recycling. This reflects the improved strength of secondary fiber markets and the growing number of mixed paper collection programs. Though much of that increase was reported as newspaper recovery, evidence indicates that more mixed paper is finding its way to newsprint mills, rather than a dramatic increase in actual newspaper recovery, the DEQ reports. “Northwest newsprint mills have adapted along with the marketplace by increasing their ability to accept mixed paper while still making a high-quality product,” Donnaway says.

Wasteshed areas with the highest recovery rates include the Portland metro area (Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties are calculated as one wasteshed) at 56.9 percent, Marion County at 53.0 percent and Lane County at 51.9 percent. After leading the state last year, Yamhill County’s rate fell to 49.0 percent, primarily due to a change in DEQ’s survey methodology. All counties are within reach of their 2005 goals, with no wasteshed falling 10 or more percentage points short. Twenty of Oregon’s 35 wastesheds have already exceeded their 2005 goals. (Oregon law requires a statewide recovery rate of 45 percent for the calendar year 2005, and also sets goals for each wasteshed.)

Some wasteshed rates went up or down dramatically from 2002. The fluctuations could be attributed to several factors, including changes in waste recovery accounting methods, new recovery and recycling programs and new facilities and technology for processing recycled materials, according to a news release from the DEQ.

Recovery rate, waste disposal and waste generation data from the entire state of Oregon is available on DEQ’s Web page at http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/solwaste/swrd.html.