Solid Waste Forum and News

This web page is devoted to information about the Solid Waste Forum and new developments in DEQ's Solid Waste Program.

News

• Alternatives for recycled materials
  The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has developed a policy to follow in responding to requests to temporarily allow source separated recyclable materials to be used for purposes other than recycling in extraordinary circumstances.

Oregon law requires source separated materials collected or received for recycling to be reused or recycled. When markets collapsed so dramatically last fall, the question arose, what if markets for those recyclables no longer exists. DEQ began a dialog with a number of internal and external stakeholders, including local governments, recycling collectors and processors, and recycling advocates, to address this question. The draft policy follows those conversations. The policy describes key factors that will be considered and the process DEQ will follow when evaluating whether to allow alternative uses of source separated recyclable materials in extraordinary circumstances. Fortunately, our recycling industry in Oregon has not had to divert source-separated materials for alternative uses during our lingering economic downturn.

Please contact Mary Lou Perry ( or phone: 503-229-5731) if you have any questions, comments or concerns about this policy. We plan to finalize the policy on November 20, 2009.

• Alternatives for Recycled Materials Internal Management Directive (IMD) PDF

• Composting facility regulations
  The amended composting rules adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission in August 2009 were filed by the Secretary of State and became effective September 14, 2009.
• Life cycle analysis of drinking water delivery options
  DEQ has published a comprehensive life cycle analysis that compares various methods of delivering drinking water to consumers, including tap water and reusable bottles, single-use bottles, and reusable 5-gallon containers. The study and a supplemental report help to bolster the principle that “reducing first, then recycling” is the best environmental path to follow. The study concludes that drinking tap water in refillable bottles is the more environmentally friendly action when compared to other forms of obtaining and consuming drinking water, including buying water in bottles and recycling them.
  • News release
  • Drinking Water: A Comparison of Bottled and Tap Water Using Life Cycle Analysis Web page.
• Oregon Commingled Recycling System Improvements Project

Solid Waste Forum

The purpose of the Solid Waste Forum is to provide a regular forum for Oregon's solid waste community and DEQ to discuss solid waste issues, primarily of statewide significance. The forum will not replace existing work groups. With the advent of the new Solid Waste Forum, we have changed the title of our “Solid Waste Snippets” Web page and mailing list to “Solid Waste Forum and News.” We will continue to use this Web page and mailing list to communicate developments in DEQ’s Solid Waste Program and issues of interest to the solid waste community – as well as information about the Solid Waste Forums.

The Solid Waste Forum will meet:

Date	Time	Location
TBD

To get more information; including agendas, meeting places and meeting notes, click on the e-mail updates icon on any DEQ solid waste Web page. If you have questions or comments, please contact Palmer Mason ( or phone: 503-229-6800) or Loretta Pickerell ( or phone: 503-229-5808).

• November 12, 2008 meeting agenda PDF
  • Legislative Discussion PDF
  • Material Recovery handout PDF
• October 8, 2008 meeting agenda PDF
  • Bottle Bill Revised Recommendations PDF
• July 9, 2008 meeting agenda PDF
  • Update on Oregon's E-Waste Recycling Program PDF
  • Materials Recovery Assessment Discussion PDF
  • Potential Issues for Future Forums
• May 14, 2008 meeting agenda PDF
  • Beneficial Use of Solid Waste presentation PDF
  • Greenhouse Gas Mandatory Reporting Rules PDF
• March 19, 2008 meeting notes PDF
  • Talking points PDF
• Additional information:
  • SW Program Organizational Chart PDF

[print version]