Waste Recovery and Compost

Recycling Education and Promotion in Oregon

Oregon lawmakers recognize the important role education and promotion play in ensuring the success of recycling programs. This is why the state's recycling laws include specific education and promotion requirements that apply to cities and counties (Oregon Administrative Rules 340 Division 90 (0030 & 0040)). This web page gives a description of these requirements and information on how to meet them.

General Recycling Education and Promotion Requirements

Oregon cities, counties and Metro must provide recycling education and promotion to all residential and commercial generators of recyclable materials within their service area, not just garbage collection customers. This general education and promotion program includes the following elements:

• Initial notification to all generators about why recycling is important, what materials are accepted, how they are prepared, who to contact for on-route collection service, and where depots or other convenient areas are located for recycling, including a telephone number for contact.
• Semi-annual notification to existing residential and commercial customers of materials collected, schedule for collection, and methods and reasons for preparing materials for collection.
• Information to disposal site users (if site is attended) that includes why people should recycle, what can be recycled, and how to prepare recyclable materials. Additionally, signs must be posted at disposal sites indicating hours of operation, materials accepted, and proper preparation methods for the facility.
• Identify and establish a procedure for citizen involvement in the development and implementation of the education and promotion program.
• Notify and educate local media and other groups that maintain regular contact with the general public about recycling program logistics (i.e., neighborhood associations, radio, television, trade publications, etc.).
• Identify an education and promotion representative available to answer questions relating to the promotion of recycling and education.

In order to comply with the General Requirements, Oregon cities with a population of 4,000 or more may select expanded education and promotion from a menu of program elements. Please refer to OAR 340-090-0040. The expanded education component should utilize the following solid waste hierarchy: first, emphasize waste prevention; second, emphasize the reuse of materials; third, emphasize recycling, composting, energy recovery; and finally, if no alternatives exist, waste disposal. At a minimum, the program should do the following:

• Inform all solid waste generators of how to prevent waste, reuse, recycle, and compost material;
• Inform all solid waste generators of the benefits of preventing waste, reusing, recycling and composting material;
• Promote the use of available recycling services; and
• Provide educational and promotional materials to commercial customers that meet the needs of various business types (small v. large, schools, hospitals, etc.). Materials should include reasons to recycle with a description of economic benefits; common barriers to recycling with provided solutions a list of additional resources; and other information designed to assist and encourage recycling efforts.

In addition to the described minimum additional requirements, the expanded education and promotion program, if selected, must be implemented in one of two different ways: (1) as a "Specified Action Program' or (2) in an "Expanded Education and Promotion Plan."

1. Implementing a "Specified Action Program" includes the following:
   1. New Customer Packet: Provide a packet of educational materials to each new residential and commercial service customer containing the following:
      • description of the materials collected;
      • the schedule for collection and current service provider; and
      • methods and reasons for materials preparation
   2. Quarterly promotion: Inform all residential and commercial collection service customers at least 4 times/year about types of materials collected; the collection schedule; and methods and reasons for materials preparation.

They should be informed of waste prevention and reduction methods, reuse of materials and composting techniques, and of the benefits of each of these elements. Promotion can be written, electronic, or any other effective means of providing information.

3. Annual Recycling Information: Distribute written materials directly to residential and commercial collection service customers describing the benefits of recycling; including instruction for material preparation; and containing information about the types and amounts of materials recycled during the past year. This may also be used to satisfy one quarterly promotion requirement.
4. Community/Media event recycling promotion: Conduct or participate in one or more community or media educational events per year about recycling, waste prevention, reuse, and/or composting activities. (e.g., booths at County Fairs or Earth Day events, organizing spring or fall clean-ups, or participating in community celebrations, Recycling Awareness Week, etc.)
5. Utilize a variety of Materials and Media: Disseminate information using a variety of materials and media formats in order to reach the maximum number of collection service customers and residential and commercial solid waste generators.

OR:

2. Submitting and "Expanded Education and Promotion Plan" to meet a community's individual needs that must be at least as extensive as the Specified Action program and must follow the guidelines below:

• Include a list of activities (meeting the general requirement, at a minimum) that will effectively reach all solid waste generators and new and existing collection service customers.
• A description of specific activities that will fulfill the intent of the additional education and promotion requirements.
• A timetable for implementation of the plan that includes clear identification of responsible parties for carry out and follow-through of the activities.

The plan must be submitted to the DEQ by February 28 of the first year that the Plan is to be in effect or within 30 days of the beginning of the jurisdiction's fiscal year in which the Plan will take effect.

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